Local Council of SPD selects fresh leadership panel

Local Council of SPD selects fresh leadership panel

In a passionate speech at the annual general meeting of the SPD local branch Sterkrade-Süd, held in February 2023, state parliamentarian Frederick Cordes outlined several proposals to address key challenges in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).

Cordes, a long-standing advocate for economic growth and development, focused on the skilled worker shortage, educational investments, and the development of innovation cities.

Skilled Worker Shortage

Emphasizing the need for a comprehensive strategy to attract and retain skilled workers, Cordes proposed expanding vocational training opportunities, improving integration programs for immigrants, and enhancing labor market conditions to make the region more attractive for both local and international talent.

Educational Investments

Cordes advocated for increased investment in education at all levels, particularly in schools and vocational training centers. He highlighted the importance of modernizing educational infrastructure, investing in digital learning tools, and supporting lifelong learning initiatives to prepare the workforce for future technological and economic demands.

Innovation Cities

Cordes discussed plans to develop innovation cities within NRW by fostering collaborations between universities, research institutions, and companies. These innovation hubs are intended to stimulate economic growth, encourage startups, and facilitate the transfer of research into practical applications, thereby strengthening the region’s competitiveness.

A Multi-Faceted Approach

Overall, Cordes presented a multi-faceted approach aimed at enhancing NRW’s economic vitality through targeted policies in workforce development, education, and innovation.

Criticisms and Calls to Action

Cordes criticized the low educational investments in NRW compared to other federal states, with an annual investment of 7,500 euros per student. He also highlighted the chaotic budget planning of the state government and the insufficient expansion of renewable energies.

Cordes called for more courage in education policy and better financial support for this sector. He also addressed the tense budget of the city of Oberhausen and called for a final solution to the problem of old debts.

The federal government, according to Cordes, has already pledged financial participation, but the state government continues to play for time. Cordes urged for the strict enforcement of a school-based social index and the establishment of an investigative committee.

Elections and Leadership

Elections were held for delegates and alternate delegates to the district party conferences in 2023 and to the district delegates' conference for the European elections in 2024. Dr. Jörg Schröder, Jutta Bach, and Manuel Prohl were elected as the chairman, deputies, respectively, with a large majority.

In his report, Jörg Schröder reviewed the diverse events and actions of the local branch in the past year. Cordes, as a member of the local branch Sterkrade-Süd, was the guest speaker.

Addressing the Skilled Worker Shortage

To address the major obstacle to the implementation of the energy transition, which is the massive shortage of skilled workers in NRW, according to Cordes, the SPD in the state parliament aims to make it easier for women and immigrants to enter the labor market and guarantee apprenticeship places for young people and adults.

Cordes also proposed the creation of a 30 million transformation fund for the energy transition and emphasized the importance of maintaining NRW as an industrial hub and calling for strong political support for the development of hydrogen infrastructure.

Investing in the Future

In Berlin, for example, 12,300 euros per student are invested in the school system, according to Cordes. He proposed expanding the concept of Innovation Cities to include additional city quarters and advocated for longer joint learning.

Christin Becker is the new treasurer of the SPD local branch Sterkrade-Süd, replacing Andreas Geßner who remains as the treasurer. Ruth Wiech remains as the secretary. Nine deputies were elected: Elia Albrecht-Mainz, Susanne Cordes, Frank Endemann, Manfred Grobin, Simon Gerrit Hewing, Jannik Hohmann, Anja Schröder, Tim Tzscheppan, and Wolfgang Tzscheppan, who, along with Tim Tzscheppan and Wolfgang Tzscheppan, gave comprehensive reports on behalf of the Juso AG and the AG 60+.

In his work in the Düsseldorf state parliament, focusing on work and economy, Cordes has been a strong advocate for these issues and continues to push for policies that will benefit the people of NRW.

1. Cordes suggested expanding vocational training opportunities as a step towards mitigating the skilled worker shortage.
2. Immigrant integration programs need to be improved to attract skilled workers, according to Cordes' proposal.
3. Labor market conditions should be enhanced to make NRW more appealing to domestic and international talent.
4. Cordes underlined the importance of modernizing educational infrastructure and investing in digital learning tools.
5. Lifelong learning initiatives need to be supported to prepare the workforce for future demands, as per Cordes' stance.
6. The innovation cities planned by Cordes are expected to stimulate economic growth, encourage startups, and facilitate research-to-practice applications.
7. Cordes' approach to enhancing NRW's economic vitality is multifaceted, targeting workforce development, education, and innovation.
8. Cordes criticized the low educational investments in NRW compared to other federal states and called for more funding in this sector.
9. The budget planning of the NRW state government is chaotic, as stated by Cordes.
10. The expansion of renewable energies in NRW is insufficient, according to Cordes.
11. Cordes urged for the strict enforcement of a school-based social index and the establishment of an investigative committee.
12. Dr. Jörg Schröder, Jutta Bach, and Manuel Prohl were elected as the chairman, deputies, respectively, with a large majority.
13. In his report, Jörg Schröder reviewed the activities of the local branch Sterkrade-Süd in the past year.
14. To address the skilled worker shortage hindering the energy transition, the SPD in the state parliament aims to make it easier for women and immigrants to enter the labor market.
15. The SPD in the state parliament also aims to guarantee apprenticeship places for young people and adults, as per Cordes.
16. Cordes proposed the creation of a 30 million transformation fund for the energy transition.
17. Cordes emphasized the importance of maintaining NRW as an industrial hub and called for strong political support for the development of hydrogen infrastructure.
18. Cordes proposed expanding the concept of Innovation Cities to include additional city quarters.
19. Longer joint learning was also advocated by Cordes in his proposals.
20. In Berlin, 12,300 euros per student are invested in the school system, as mentioned by Cordes, and he recommends replicating this model in NRW.

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