Competence through Further Education (CtFE)

The Competence through Further Training (KdW) program is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as non-profit organizations with a place of business in Saarland and supports external further training and qualification measures for employees. With a funding rate of 40%, seminar costs up to €2,000 per employee are covered. Excluded are travel and accommodation costs, meals, product training, specialist conferences, and retroactive costs. The annual maximum funding amounts are tiered according to company size, ensuring that SMEs of every size class receive an appropriate subsidy. The KdW service center accompanies the process through to final accounting and provides advisory support for questions regarding the application and funding conditions.

The program’s goal is to strengthen the competitiveness and innovative capacity of Saarland SMEs by expanding employees’ professional, methodological, and social skills. For this purpose, registration with the KdW service center is required at least three working days before the seminar begins. Only seminar costs are funded, for which the registration form, proof of SME status, application form, certification of the place of business, invoice, proof of payment, and participation confirmation must be submitted. The ongoing funding opportunity allows flexible planning of company qualification projects and supports businesses in meeting the increased demands of technological and organizational change.