Regionalagentur Region Köln c/o Stadt Köln: The regional agency Region Köln – Expertise strenghtens the region

As one of the 16 regional agencies in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the agency Re­­gion Cologne is implementing the state government’s labour policy. It seeks to pick up the local strengths and challenges in order to support the competitive ability of local companies and the employability of the people living in the area. Together with the local stakeholders, the regional agency develops and pro­­motes concepts, programmes and projects to improve the companies’ compet­­itiveness, to qualify the employees, to or­­ganise the pass from school to work life and to integrate specific target groups in the regular labour market. The region­­al agency is partner for the local companies and applies funds provided by the European Social Fund (ESF) wherever employability and competitiveness need a long-term boost. For a key concern pro­­gramms and funding lines (e.g. “Youth for Job”, “Part-time vocational training /TEP” aimed at those with family commitments, “Production School. NRW”, “Consulting services for strengthening the future potential of SME”, “Training voucher” and “Consulting services for pro­­fessional career”) as well as particular projects with a specific reference to the needs of the local labour market are placed to save the professional skills. In addition, the agency supports the development and cultivation of cooperation and networking within the region.