News briefs from Hamburg Metropolitan Region

Schwerin: Many plumbing, heating, metalworking and electrical companies are keen to recruit talented young people. Internships are a tried and tested means of encouraging young people to work in the skilled trades. School pupils who want to get a taste of the trades during their holidays can earn a weekly bonus of EUR 120 in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania under a new scheme. Pupils can apply for the bonus online: https://www.hwk-schwerin.de/ferienpraktikum#Online-Antrag provided the company in question is allowed to provide training.
 

Buchholz: The TIP Innovation Park Nordheide is celebrating yet another success after K. Hartwell held the topping-out ceremony of its Germany headquarters. The Finnish family-owned business produces solutions for intralogistics. The new factory in Nordheide will produce e.g., tugger trains, driverless transport systems and mobile robots. The factory and offices are due for completion in the third quarter of 2025. The new building will be particularly sustainable and features a heat pump, PV system, e-charging infrastructure and smart metres.

Hanover: Many companies in Lower Saxony are working on green solutions for the future. Ideas for sustainability and climate protection will take centre stage during the upcoming "Climate Innovation Award Lower Saxony". Applications for this year's competition, which will present prizes worth EUR 10,000, are being accepted until the deadline of June 15 on  https://www.klima-innovationspreis.de. A brief look previous winners reveals ecological super insulation materials, concrete pipes without cement or by recycling electric car batteries that have impressed the jury.

Kiel: More and more companies are hiring foreign workers, but this often comes with hurdles. The "Diversity at the Workplace - Securing Skilled Workers for Schleswig-Holstein" scheme targets SMEs. Companies can consult so-called process facilitators to help them overcome intercultural challenges and create a good working atmosphere for the entire workforce. The project will initially run for two years and is funded by the state and the European Social Fund Plus.

Schwerin: A new cycling centre is currently being built in Schwerin's Olympic training centre. The huge oval building is 118 metres in length and 68 metres in width. Professional cyclists will can do their laps in the new centre from 2026. The indoor pitch can also be used for handball, volleyball and badminton. The state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania is investing EUR 16.5 million in the new building, Schwerin is paying some EUR 4.5 million and the German government is investing EUR 4 million.

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