Funding Guideline ESF Plus Skilled Labor Retention and Social Inclusion – Skilled Labor and Continuing Education Guideline
Support for measures of vocational further training in Thuringia, including qualification adjustment, further training vouchers, and projects to meet the demand for skilled workers, with grants to secure skilled personnel.
Discover your potential with AI support
- Find out if this grant matches your project
- Develop your application together with AI
- Get matched with many more suitable grants
Grant criteria
Funding objective
The Free State of Thuringia supports projects aimed at securing skilled workers as well as company-based and individual further training, in order to improve the qualification of employees and self-employed persons and to alleviate the regional shortage of skilled labor.
Eligible expenses
- Wage/salary costs
- Travel expenses
- Material costs
- Expenses for training measures
Non-eligible expenses
- Acquisition of real estate
- Allocation for medical expenses
- Depreciation on buildings and vehicles
Eligible to apply
- Companies
- Individuals
Funding requirements
- Natural persons and legal entities with headquarters or business premises in Thuringia (self-employed individuals excluded)
- For the further training voucher: employees subject to social security contributions with taxable income below €55,000 (for individual assessment) or below €110,000 (for joint assessment)
- Applications must be submitted at least 6 weeks before the project start date
Documents required for application
- Project description
- Financing plan
- Income tax assessment
- Application form
- Proof of social security
Evaluation criteria
- Quality of the continuing education project
- Cost-effectiveness
- Impact on securing skilled labor
Description
The funding guideline "ESF Plus Skilled Labor Security and Social Participation – Skilled Labor and Continuing Education Guideline" supports projects in Thuringia that serve the sustainable securing and recruitment of skilled workers. The measure focuses on projects for vocational further training, such as adjustment qualifications, the so-called continuing education voucher, and initiatives aimed at targeted skilled labor demand coverage. Through co-financing – from 50% up to 80% of eligible expenses – the qualification of employees and self-employed individuals is strengthened. The funding is intended, in particular, to enable companies and private individuals as well as employees subject to social insurance contributions in Thuringia to invest specifically in the future of their skilled workforce.
The funding requirements stipulate that natural and legal persons with a place of business in Thuringia (excluding solo self-employed) are eligible for funding. For the continuing education voucher, it is further required that employees subject to social insurance contributions have a taxable annual income below €55,000 (for individual assessment) or below €110,000 (for joint assessment). A key aspect of the program is the timely submission of applications, which must be made at least 6 weeks before the project start – for continuing education vouchers even before the binding registration for the measure. These structured specifications and regulations provide a solid basis to ensure the economic efficiency and professional quality of the measures.
The guideline requires applicants to provide comprehensive documentation, which, in addition to a detailed project description, also includes a financing plan, proof of social insurance, and the income tax assessment notice. The procedure is supported by an online portal of the Thuringian State Administration Office, through which applications are submitted in a prescribed form and by post. Projects supported by funding must also make their results and documents accessible to the public free of discrimination. This transparent and targeted funding makes a significant contribution to securing skilled labor as well as to individual and company-based further training – a decisive factor in effectively counteracting the regional skilled labor shortage in Thuringia.