The cooperative project “Employer Forge South Westphalia” is set to launch. Mona Neubaur, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy, handed over a total of seven funding approvals from the “Regio.NRW – Transformation” initiative to the project stakeholders. South Westphalia Agency GmbH and six other institutions aim to raise awareness of South Westphalia as an attractive employer region through a collaborative approach. Their shared goal: to support the many companies in economically strong South Westphalia in positioning themselves as attractive employers, thereby improving their ability to attract new employees and retain existing skilled workers.

Funding for the “Employer Forge South Westphalia” was already recommended by an independent jury in the summer of 2023. After thorough review of the funding applications by the Arnsberg District Government, Minister Mona Neubaur has now officially handed over the grants. The total funding amounts to 3.1 million euros.

“Each region in North Rhine-Westphalia has its own strengths and potential. But they all share the goal of presenting themselves as attractive, sustainable, and competitive business locations. With the ‘Regio.NRW – Transformation’ initiative, we are supporting the regions in this endeavor,” said Minister Neubaur. “I’m pleased to announce the launch of the first five exciting projects from South Westphalia and the Ruhr region with the awarding of these grants. Through the ‘Employer Forge’, the region is taking active steps to enhance the appeal of employers in South Westphalia in light of major technological changes, helping to secure the skilled workforce that is so urgently needed.”

Widespread Regional Support for the “Employer Forge”

The project enjoys broad support: Over 30 institutions from the region have expressed interest in participating. All are committed to helping raise South Westphalia’s profile as a top employer region. The project is led by South Westphalia Agency GmbH, which will receive over 1.2 million euros in funding. The remaining 1.9 million euros will be shared among the six project partners: agentur mark GmbH, the business development agencies of the Siegen-Wittgenstein and Soest districts, South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, and the University of Siegen.

Innovation Through “Impulse Labs”

The seven partners will work collaboratively through Impulse Labs to develop new models that strengthen employer branding and HR practices. Topics include aligning with the expectations of Generation Z or addressing the recruitment and integration of (international) skilled workers. These models will be created, tested, and implemented within the labs—and their findings shared throughout the region as part of the overall project. “This collaborative approach shows the value of working together with many smart ideas and minds across the region to launch future-oriented projects like this one,” said Marie Ting, Head of Regional Marketing at South Westphalia Agency GmbH, during the grant handover event in Düsseldorf.

Bundling Measures, Expanding Services, Strengthening Companies

The “Employer Forge South Westphalia” aims to build a transformation and change network. In addition to the Impulse Labs, a central online platform is planned to serve as a go-to information hub for companies. It will allow them to easily access both existing offerings from regional partners and new support services to boost their attractiveness as employers. “Skilled labor is a key success factor for South Westphalia. The core questions are: how can we become known as a top employer region? And what can each individual company do to contribute? That’s what the ‘Employer Forge South Westphalia’ is all about,” explained Saskia Haardt-Cerff, Project Manager for the Employer Forge South Westphalia within the regional marketing team at South Westphalia Agency GmbH.

The total project volume is 3.9 million euros and it is scheduled to run for three years until December 31, 2026. The seven grants totaling 3.1 million euros were awarded under the “Regio.NRW – Transformation” call and are funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.