A new campaign in Enzkreis, Baden-Württemberg, seeks to encourage residents to work locally rather than commute to larger cities. The initiative aims to address the region’s skills shortage by promoting job opportunities within the community.
Enzkreis urges residents to work locally
The economy of Baden-Württemberg is among the strongest in Europe, with industrial hotspots in major cities such as Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, and Freiburg im Breisgau. These economic centers attract thousands of daily commuters from surrounding regions. However, Enzkreis, a district in the northern Black Forest, is challenging this trend by promoting local employment opportunities.
According to a press release from the Enzkreis district office, approximately 51,000 residents commute daily from the region to cities like Pforzheim, Karlsruhe, and Stuttgart, or even further afield. The district’s businesses would prefer to hire these skilled workers locally to address the ongoing shortage of qualified professionals. Inspired by the successful “Live instead of commuting” campaign launched by the Swiss canton of Thurgau, Enzkreis is developing a similar strategy to promote jobs in the region and tackle the skills gap.
Targeting commuters to ease the skills shortage
The skills shortage has been a pressing issue for years, with even established companies in Stuttgart struggling to fill all their apprenticeship positions this year. Enzkreis sees the daily exodus of thousands of its residents to other regions as a significant concern. “In the future, Enzkreis aims to specifically target commuters as part of our broader strategy to attract skilled professionals to the region,” said Jochen Enke, the district’s head of economic development. “With around 1,500 companies, Enzkreis offers a wide range of career opportunities.”
One example highlighted in the press release is IMO Oberflächentechnik GmbH in Königsbach-Stein. Celine Lundelius, a technical buyer at IMO, joined the company in June 2023 after moving to Königsbach three years ago. She sought employment at IMO specifically to avoid the lengthy commute of up to an hour to Karlsruhe. “Now, my commute is only three minutes,” she said. Enzkreis also emphasizes the housing advantage in the region, where living costs are significantly lower than in the big cities.
Campaign inspired by Swiss success story
To retain skilled professionals within the region, Enzkreis plans to model its efforts on Thurgau’s “Live instead of commuting” campaign, which has been highly successful in Switzerland. Jochen Enke is currently working on similar ideas to raise awareness of the benefits of living and working in Enzkreis. With many attractive local employers and a high quality of life, Enzkreis presents itself as a compelling alternative to large corporations and the daily commute.
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