Skilled workers from Colombia and Uzbekistan for the trades

A pilot project places skilled workers from Colombia and Uzbekistan in German trades, supporting them with their entry into the country and their start in the companies. Employers also receive individual advice.

Since this summer, Dehn Instatec GmbH , a large electrical installation company in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, has employed a young Colombian woman and two young Colombian men. The South Americans came to Germany as electronics technicians as part of the "Future International Talents for German Climate Businesses" project, or FIT for German Climate Businesses project for short.

The pilot project aims to recruit skilled workers from Colombia and Uzbekistan for German craft businesses in climate-relevant professions and support their integration into the German labor market. The pilot project is being implemented by the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH) , the Federal Employment Agency , and the development organization sequa , and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

HWK Vice President Gerhard Ulm, HWK Deputy Managing Director Hans Schmidt, the three Colombian skilled workers Martin Fernando Piraban Alvarez, Ana Maria Hurtado Nopan and Ricardo Antonino Torres Ospina, Dehn Instatec Managing Director Christian Hamann and Jan Dannenbring, Head of the Labor Market Department at the ZDH (from left). Photo: © Fotostudio Weidinger / HWK Lower Bavaria-Upper Palatinate

During a company visit, the project partners were able to see firsthand how the integration of international specialists into everyday work is successful. 

The Lower Bavaria-Upper Palatinate Chamber of Skilled Crafts is one of nine craft organizations nationwide participating in the FIT for German Climate Businesses project . Others include the Koblenz and Münster Chambers of Skilled Crafts, the North Rhine-Westphalia Construction Associations, the Potsdam, Erfurt, Cottbus, and Freiburg Chambers of Skilled Crafts, and the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Skilled Crafts. As local project partners, the Chambers of Skilled Crafts are not only responsible for placing skilled workers with businesses, but also support their entry into Germany, including visa procedures, the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, and integration during their first weeks there.

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➡️ You can find contact persons and contact details for the project partners in your region here.

"We have significantly expanded our activities in this area in recent years," reports Hans Schmidt , Deputy Managing Director of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts Lower Bavaria-Upper Palatinate. They are convinced of the great potential of recruiting skilled workers from third countries.

That's why the skilled trades sector advocated early on for a practical and implementable skilled immigration law . "In addition to utilizing domestic talent, the skilled trades sector also relies on skilled workers and trainees from abroad. It's very important to us that the people who come here are well integrated, supported, and feel at home. We want to do our part to ensure that," added Gerhard Ulm, Vice President of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts.

"Integration succeeds when everyone participates."

Thirteen skilled workers alone – twelve Colombians and one Uzbek – have come to work in craft businesses in eastern Bavaria through the project. All have already completed vocational training. They have good German language skills and at least two years of professional experience in their respective trades.

Christian Hamann, Managing Director of Dehn Instatec , has hired three of them. "The need for qualified specialists is clearly noticeable in our industry as well," says Hamann. He explains that the project has enabled the company to attract motivated individuals. "From candidate selection and entry into the country to the recognition of their professional qualifications, we received professional support throughout the entire process," reports the Managing Director.

However, what matters most is how well the integration works within the company and in everyday life. "Our colleagues support the new employees from the very beginning. This experience confirms that integration works best when everyone pulls together."

For 25-year-old Martin Fernando Piraban Alvarez , who has been in Neumarkt since June 2026, the transition has certainly been a success: "From the very beginning, I felt welcome at Dehn Instatec. My colleagues support me not only at work but also in my daily life. This allowed me to settle in quickly. Today, I play for a local football club and have already made many new friends. I'm looking forward to continuing my journey here."

Supporting businesses is crucial

Jan Dannenbring , Head of the Labor Market Department at the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), emphasizes the importance of supporting businesses in integrating international skilled workers. "The FIT for German Climate Businesses project demonstrates once again how proactive, helpful, and pragmatic the participating craft businesses are in integrating skilled workers, enabling them to settle in and remain in Germany and integrate into daily business operations. However, small craft businesses in particular need sustainable local support structures to manage the increased effort required for integrating skilled workers from third countries," Dannenbring stresses, adding his conviction: "If policymakers, the skilled trades, and skilled workers work together, it will become clear: the immigration of qualified foreign skilled workers is a win-win situation!"

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