Conclusion of a service contract for the continuation of the BQ-Portal (www.bq-portal.de), the information portal for foreign professional qualifications.
In view of the demographic development in Germany, securing the demand for skilled workers is one of the central economic policy challenges. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular are already having great difficulty filling their vacancies. Currently, the skills gap is estimated at just under 700,000 working people. For this reason, all potentials must be leveraged both at home, for example through more education and training and higher labour force participation of women and older people, and abroad.
In order to support the competent authorities in carrying out the procedures for the recognition of non-regulated professions regulated by federal law (foreign professional qualifications that are based on a federally regulated dual training or further education qualification as a reference occupation in Germany) as well as certain regulated master craftsman professions, the BQ portal (www.bq-portal.de) was launched in March 2012 on the initiative of the BMWK. It makes it possible to implement the legal right enshrined in the law to review the equivalence of a foreign professional qualification for recognition practice.
The continuation of the BQ-Portal is thus an important part of the Federal Government's Skilled Workers Strategy.
The content of the contract is the continuation and further development of the BQ portal. The information portal for foreign professional qualifications bundles all relevant information on foreign professional qualifications and vocational education and training systems on one platform.
The aim of the BQ-Portal is to tap the potential of skilled workers with professional qualifications acquired abroad for the German labour market. The BQ-Portal supports the professional integration of different groups of people. This includes migrants already living in Germany, refugees and skilled workers who have immigrated or are willing to immigrate from abroad.
The services to be provided are described in 4 work packages:
1. Ongoing maintenance and demand-oriented updating/supplementation of the database contents, in particular on professional profiles, as well as subject-specific user support (work package 1),
2. Administration/user support, maintenance of the website in accordance with the corporate design of the BMWK and technical operation (work package 2),
3. Communication and offers for SMEs (work package 3),
4. Ongoing success monitoring and project management (work package 4).
The focus of the work is on the maintenance and demand-oriented expansion of the country and occupational profiles in close cooperation with the users of the BQ portal. The selection of countries and occupations should be based on criteria such as the existing and foreseeable demand for skilled workers in the economy. Important factors in this context are the relevance of the labour market, the countries of origin of migrants and the identification of potential countries of origin of skilled workers willing to immigrate.
The close cooperation and cooperation with the official actors and projects in the field of skilled worker recruitment and recognition are to be continued and expanded in line with demand.