Since 2003, the UN has presented this award every year to recognise creative achievements and contributions by public service institutions around the world that help public administrations become more efficient and responsive. The BQ-Portal makes information on foreign vocational training systems and vocational qualifications collected by the staff of various recognition agencies publicly available. This approach also helps other areas of public administration and businesses and serves as a model for national and international initiatives. Overall, the BQ-Portal makes it easier for foreign qualified professionals to enter the German labour market and alleviates the shortage of skilled workers.
As part of the awards, the BQ-Portal ran a stand at the exhibition and had the opportunity to present the portal to many interested visitors. Daniel Wörndl was invited to present the portal in a workshop and to answer questions from participants.
With an eye to the future and the digitalization of public administrations worldwide, Ban Ki-moon opened the United Nations Public Service Forum. Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Interior and Safety, Republic of Korea, and Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, also addressed all participants and personally presented the awards.
The BQ-Portal team also used their time in South Korea to find out about training opportunities in South Korea. The visit to the AHK Korea (Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry) with Ms Kim in Seoul gave the team a good overview of the vocational training system in Korea and introduced them to the AHK training programme with A-Level certification for car mechanics. Here, Korean young people are trained as automotive mechanics according to the German principle immediately after leaving high school. They pause their training for compulsory military service and complete their training after three years. In addition to the AHK certificate, they also obtain a university entrance qualification. After the meeting, the BQ Portal team was invited to attend an AHK graduation ceremony for florists. Finally, the team had the opportunity to talk to German Ambassador Georg Schmidt. South Korea also has a shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades and service sectors. The discussion focused on various approaches to solving this problem in Germany and South Korea.
The team was also welcomed by Jörn Beißert, Deputy Ambassador at the German Embassy. Topics of discussion included the potential that Korean IT specialists offer Germany and the migration of German workers to Korea. Koreans are increasingly willing to migrate to Germany on a work visa. Possible paths via the new Skilled Immigrants Act were also discussed.
The BQ-Portal team spent an eventful and exciting week in South Korea and brought many new contacts and impressions back to Cologne.