Ten years of success: Central Saxony District and Mittweida University celebrate collaboration!

Ten years of success: Central Saxony District and Mittweida University celebrate collaboration!

A successful cooperation is being celebrated in the Central Saxony district: the region has been working together with the Mittweida University of Applied Sciences for ten years. This partnership was launched by the district council in 2014, and since then a lot has been invested in the practical training of students. The aim is not only to bind future specialists to the region, but also to make scientific know-how usable for administration. The Landkreis Mittelsachsen emphasizes that numerous projects have already been implemented, including the development of social monitoring and the establishment of social reporting.

What could be better than celebrating a collaboration? On November 24, 2025, the specialist day “10 Years of Central Saxony Social: Science Practice. What was. What is. What is to come.” in Mittweida. Long-time companions and guests from politics, administration, science and practice will come together here to honor the successes of the last few years. Jörg Höllmüller, the second alderman, was proud of the joint work and emphasized the importance of regional exchange and innovative approaches.

Skills shortage in focus

The issue of securing skilled workers is increasingly coming to the fore of the public debate. According to the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, employee retention plays an essential role in the competitiveness of Germany as a business location. The availability and retention of employees are crucial factors here. Companies can counteract an impending shortage of skilled workers through targeted internal personnel measures.

In order to effectively address the shortage of skilled workers, the federal government adopted a new skilled workers strategy in autumn 2022. This not only aims to better employ women and older people as employed people, but also to promote the integration of refugees into the labor market. A look at the development of labor force participation shows that it rose by 7 percentage points to 76.8% for women from 2010 to 2022 - one of the highest rates in Europe. However, there is still a need for action, particularly with regard to part-time work, which particularly affects many women. The strategy therefore envisages an expansion of childcare offerings and an adjustment of the legal framework.

Make better use of potential

In addition, there is growing potential in the employment participation of older people. According to estimates, the number of employed people between the ages of 55 and 64 could grow to up to 1.1 million by 2025. The current challenges are putting companies under increasing pressure to reduce barriers and create incentives to retain older employees. People with a migrant background offer further significant potential and should be supported through targeted integration and training offers.

With the NETWORK “Companies integrate refugees”, over 3,900 members are now active in promoting the training and employment of refugees. Thanks to the support, including 170 welcome guides, around 9,700 refugees have been integrated into the labor market since 2016. This shows that there are numerous starting points in the area of ​​securing skilled workers that are not only beneficial for companies, but also for society as a whole.