Evaluation of the “Horizont Handwerk" Initiative

With the “Horizont Handwerk” Initiative, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism has created an offer that supports the skilled crafts sector as an important pillar of Baden-Württemberg's economy during structural change. The initiative is being implemented together with the skilled crafts organizations in the state and focuses on four central fields of action: (1) recruiting and securing skilled workers, (2) strategic orientation and transformation, (3) digitalization in the skilled crafts sector and (4) sustainability, climate protection and energy transition. In these fields of action, the initiative offers support, advice and knowledge for companies in the skilled crafts sector in Baden-Württemberg. The “Horizont Handwerk” Initiative sets itself apart from the programs offered by other federal states. There is no comparable program that provides a similarly comprehensive range of services for the skilled crafts sector, both in terms of content and the variety of services offered.

The subject of this evaluation is the personnel consulting at the eight chambers of skilled crafts in Baden-Württemberg, the intensive consulting by BWHM GmbH - Beratungs- und Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft für Handwerk und Mittelstand, the support programs ERFA groups and workshop formats, studies as well as model and transfer projects on important future topics of the skilled crafts sector, the support of staff units for the coordination of activities and the communication concept of the initiative.