The skilled trades in Rhineland-Palatinate speak with one voice. Representatives of the organizations emphasized this at the State Skilled Trades Conference in the Electoral Palace in Mainz. (Photo: © Michael Jordan)
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Topics such as the energy transition, European elections, and the shortage of skilled workers were on the agenda at the summit of the Rhineland-Palatinate skilled trades. In two resolutions, representatives advocated for reducing bureaucracy and promoting a cosmopolitan skilled trades sector.
Exchange and dialogue – these were the key words of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Crafts Conference held in mid-March in the Hall of Mirrors of the Electoral Palace in Mainz. Representatives of the Rhineland-Palatinate crafts sector – the Association of Chambers of Crafts Rhineland-Palatinate, the Entrepreneurs' Association of Crafts Rhineland-Palatinate, and the State Association of District Crafts Associations in Rhineland-Palatinate – gathered for an intensive exchange.
The agenda of the country’s leading trade representatives included the topics of bureaucracy, the European elections, the heat transition and diversity in the trades, as well as a keynote speech by Dirk Palige, Managing Director of the Central Association of German Skilled Crafts (ZDH), who reported firsthand on the political developments in Berlin. The conference participants also sent an important signal through the umbrella brand "Handwerk RLP." The craft organizations in the state speak with one voice and work together to promote the overall interests of the craft sector. "This unity in sending messages is the foundation of credibility. Opinion formation, in turn, must take place through open exchange and at conferences like this one. This is the basis for asserting our interests," emphasized Kurt Krautscheid, spokesperson for the Association of Chambers of Skilled Crafts, in his welcoming remarks.
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With two unanimously adopted resolutions, the State Skilled Crafts Conference demonstrated impressive unity. In the resolution "Make time: Reduce bureaucracy now," the State Skilled Crafts Conference called on politicians in Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as in Berlin, to free small and medium-sized businesses from the stranglehold of bureaucracy. "Because for three out of four skilled crafts businesses, constant adaptation to new regulations is the greatest burden in their daily lives, followed by verification and documentation requirements, which 54 percent of all skilled crafts businesses find burdensome," the conference stated. Axel Bettendorf, Managing Director of the HWK Trier and Managing Director of the Association of the four Chambers of Crafts, out.
The result: Self-employment is becoming increasingly unattractive, so much so that currently one-third of master craftsman course graduates are already shying away from starting their own business due to the bureaucratic burden. The State Conference of Skilled Crafts is calling for, among other things, the digitalization of administration, reliable processing times for applications, a "one in, two out" rule (for every new regulation, two old ones are deleted), and a bureaucracy pilot who will coordinate regulations between the authorities, ensuring a single point of contact for the company.
Dr. Martin Hummrich, Head of the SME and Innovation Department at the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Economic Affairs, admitted in his welcoming address that bureaucracy had reached an excess and that "Germany had slowed itself down." He justified the bureaucracy by citing the need for greater security in times of uncertainty. Crafts and political representatives agreed that reducing bureaucracy would also lead to greater personal responsibility and that crafts must be more involved in decision-making.
Hummrich's concrete proposal: He will encourage the skilled trades to send "a representative to the meeting of data protection officers" because otherwise the approach would be "too unrealistic."
The importance of liberation from the yoke of bureaucracy was also shown by the discussion about the European elections This June. The skilled trades and Germany benefit enormously from Europe – and this must be made clear instead of always focusing on the negative aspects, it was said. It is important to engage in dialogue with the team in every company, especially with the trainees, since 16-year-olds are also allowed to vote for the first time. It is important to bring Europe closer to them.
In matters heat transition The trades proved to be well positioned. This is mainly due to the cooperative involvement of various key trades in this process. For example, roofers, electricians, and plumbing, heating, and air conditioning companies work closely together to guarantee customers the highest quality and expertise in the installation of heat pumps, PV systems, etc. The only hurdle is the Skills shortageto bring the desired heating transition into customers' homes as quickly as possible. The trade is open to young talent from all sectors and regions.
Above all, the State Crafts Conference continued with the adoption of the Resolution "Crafts for Diversity and Cohesion" A further sign of the cosmopolitanism of the companies. People regardless of their origin, religion, or sexual orientation are welcome in the skilled trades and are "the foundation of our success," according to the resolution. ZDH Managing Director Dirk Palige made it clear in his speech that politicians in Berlin were also concerned about external developments and had recognized the public's need for security. "The international situation, heavily shaped by crises and conflicts, also provides a scenario for the skilled trades in Germany, particularly with regard to educational security and supply chains."
The pressure on politicians is visible to all, but too often the message "We understand" from the political camp is still missing. Through campaigns, the national top representative body of the skilled trades drew attention to bureaucratic obstacles, but also to the importance of Europe for the skilled trades "without exerting additional pressure here. Instead, we must use all available channels as part of an overall strategy." In this way, the skilled trades' messages have reached politicians and are being taken seriously. "But especially in the financial area, it has already been signaled that, due to the budget situation, the scope for maneuver is very limited because of a lack of funds."
The ZDH is actively pursuing the Bureaucracy Relief Act, the Growth Opportunities Act, and the 14-Point Construction Program to achieve more for skilled trades and small and medium-sized businesses. However, the chances of relief are slim, according to Palige. The Ministry of Finance has already inquired about where funding could be cut across the board or at least reduced. This is likely to have a particularly negative impact on funding for training and continuing education. The once clear one-third funding model—skilled trades, state, and federal government—is on shaky ground, especially given rising costs.
The four-hour State Crafts Conference not only offered a wide range of information and topics, but also gave the approximately 100 participants the opportunity to ask questions and share their own experiences – which they made extensive use of.
by Stefan Buhren, Editor-in-Chief of the German Crafts Journal
Following the State Crafts Conference, the leading representatives of the crafts sector discussed with the State Parliament President Hendrik Hering, the Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt, the chairmen of the various parliamentary groups as well as other cabinet members and members of the state parliament about Digitalization, AI use in the skilled trades, the energy transition and Europe.
As explained Kurt Krautscheid as spokesman for the Association of the Rhineland-Palatinate Chambers of Craftsthat artificial intelligence is a key technology for the future of the skilled trades and the entire economy. Numerous new opportunities would arise in various areas—for example, customer management, risk and error analysis, and inventory management. However, numerous challenges remain before the widespread use of AI in the skilled trades can be enabled in the first place.
Kurt Krautscheid sees the following three points in particular:
Johannes Lauer as Chairman of the Entrepreneurs Association Handwerk RLP On the topic "The skilled trades are implementing the energy transition," he explained that diverse collaborations between the individual trades have already emerged in the so-called climate-friendly trades. These will be expanded and brought to life in practical terms between the companies. He called for political support through faster approval procedures and less bureaucracy in the establishment of renewable energies, as well as a further strengthening of dual training and continuing education structures in the skilled trades. Johannes Lauer is certain that this is the only way to ensure a sustainable energy transition across the board, as well as strong consumer protection.
With a clear statement "Yes to Europe" Gerd Benzmüller as Chairman of the State Association of District Craftsmen's Associations RLP He made it clear that "voting" is more important than ever in the year of the European elections. He viewed the EU single market, with its diverse opportunities, as a great opportunity for the skilled trades sector – especially in border regions. But Gerd Benzmüller also explicitly called for EU support for the skilled trades sector over the next five years in key areas such as "skilled labor recruitment, digitalization, and sustainability."
As part of the event moderation, Andreas Unger, Managing Director of the Crafts Entrepreneurs Association RLP It is clear that the joint appearance of the skilled trades under the motto "Handwerk RLP", the pooling of forces and thinking within a common, larger framework in times of multiple crises is exactly the right way to represent the interests of the skilled trades constructively and with the necessary emphasis vis-à-vis politics and society.
In his closing remarks, Jörg Dittrich, President of the Central Association of German Skilled Crafts, Among other things, "the diverse challenges such as global crises, high energy prices, skilled labor shortages, excessive bureaucracy, and many other issues must be addressed by politicians so that the skilled trades can once again concentrate on their core activities. Because: The skilled trades are determined to "do"! Supportive framework conditions must be created by politicians!
Source: Entrepreneurs' Association of Crafts Rhineland-Palatinate
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