Aargau specialists prefer to work in other cantons – Urs Hofmann thinks they have found the antidote – Canton (Aargau) – Aargau

Aargau has a problem. People run away from him, to put it somewhat casually. In other words, 115,000 people travel from Aargau every day to go to work in another canton, while “only” 65,000 travel to Aargau to do their work here. That translates into a reduction of 50,000 workers, which in itself is not a problem, after all, the “renegades” pay their taxes in their place of residence. And after all, the canton looks so attractive that people like to live here.

The problem arises especially in the context of the shortage of skilled workers in the canton. “The shortage of skilled workers is one of the biggest challenges for countless companies across Switzerland, not just in the canton of Aargau,” says economic director Urs Hofmann. In barometers of concern surveyed among employers, the shortage of skilled workers is typically the highest. And the problem is accentuated by demographic change. In the next ten years, due to the retirement of the high-birth cohorts, about half a million skilled workers would be lost because too few new workers entered the market. The demographic trap is slammed shut.

From nursery to coworking spaces

But Aargau doesn’t just want to surrender to fate in the increasingly tough fight for highly skilled and well-trained people. That is why it is launching the “Work Life Aargau” platform together with numerous business and education partners. Its aim is to give Aargau a boost in a number of ways, not only by deliberately pointing to jobs in Aargau, but also by providing information on offerings in the field of training and higher education, childcare, co-working spaces and the free time. “The platform consciously combines work, everyday family life and leisure,” says Karsten Bugmann. He is president of the sponsoring association behind the platform and also chief of staff for the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).

Bugmann knows from experience how difficult it is, on the one hand, to find qualified workers and, on the other, to retain them. With around 2,100 employees, more than 100 positions are always open at PSI. It is not always easy to find qualified workers in Aargau. Many hail from urban areas, they were surprised by the rural setting in Villigen. “But anyone who comes to us and spends time in the area quickly realizes that we live in a beautiful canton,” says Bugmann.

Around 100 apprentices, 300 PhD students, and 200 post-docs are trained and employed at the ISP alone. Between 150 and 200 complete their training each year. “Not all of us can keep them employed here,” says Bugmann, “but many of them are trained in precisely the areas that we need in the canton to advance digitization or robotization.”

Hofmann: “Above all, we also offer Aargau”

But once they have turned their backs on the canton, it is difficult or even impossible to bring them back. At the latest, when there are offspring, a movement becomes unlikely. This is exactly where “Work Life Aargau” comes in, the platform is meant to help prevent the brain drain, the departure of the more educated. “With this initiative, we want to strengthen Aargau as a commercial location,” says Marietta Frey, general director of the association behind the platform and project manager in promoting cantonal location.

The origin of “Work Life Aargau” dates back to a postulate of the Grand Council in 2016 and an interdepartmental working group of “Skilled Workers” created on it. As a first step, systematic monitoring of skills shortages was developed with business and education partners. This not only determined the current situation, but also identified the need for action.

But what makes this platform so unique? On the one hand, there is representation. What appears after entering the URL (www.worklifeaargau.ch) is unfamiliar. Managing Director Frey calls it a “bubble cloud”, if you hover over it, new bubbles keep popping up. With job offers, company profiles, training offers or leisure activities. Companies can present themselves with videos, but employees of a specific company can also give advice on where to eat their lunch or where to toughen up their bodies. Because you want more than company information, you want to convey a feeling of company, yes, of an entire region. That is also the big difference with a conventional work platform. Or in the sharp words of the Director of Economics Urs Hofmann: “Above all, we also offer the Aargau, a job portal does not do that, of course.”

Make the canton shine together

Obviously, this is not only a requirement of politics, but above all of the economy. Because the canton provided the seed funding with around one million francs from the Swisslos fund, but the platform should be self-sufficient. The first three years are already insured. Frey and Co. managed to convince more than 80 companies in the canton to pay between 3,000 and 10,000 francs a year for their presence on the platform, and that during the three-year period mentioned above. They are substantial amounts. But if you listen to Marianne Wildi, you have to be prepared to invest something in the fight for the most in-demand specialists. “Skilled workers are the gold of the future,” says Hypothekarbank Managing Director Lenzburg.

Wildi is one of the first to support the initiative with Hypi and in her role as president of the Aargau Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AIHK). Many of the companies that are already represented on the platform are also members of AIHK. “We argued a lot until we realized that we could do better together, that there were a lot of synergies. When different operators work together, we can shine together. “Through this new platform. With the aim of showing that living in Aargau is” the best and coolest thing you can do, “Wildi said elated.

The Aargau as a hidden champion

The fact that no more than 80 out of a total of 1,900 AIHK members are represented on the platform is likely due to the considerable costs. This is partly due to the fact that in the first phase they contacted mainly larger companies for financing. However, since the canton does not only want to give large cantons the opportunity to present themselves, small companies (less than 20 employees) and new companies will be able to present themselves on the platform for as little as CHF 500 per year. power.

Since skilled workers are in short supply in Switzerland, the only question that arises is why the platform is primarily in German. After all, at least some of the companies should continue their search abroad if there are already too few skilled workers in their home market. The CEO of “Work Life Aargau”, Frey, responds that the objective of the platform is to better position Aargau in Switzerland. “We do not want to target American workers, but Swiss workers,” emphasizes Urs Hofmann, director of economics. The aim is in particular to target people who commute daily from Aargau to one of the neighboring cantons or even further to work.

If the platform also attracts foreign workers, that would be a welcome side effect. Nothing more and nothing less. Because there are quite a few interesting jobs in the canton. “Not only with the big names in the canton, but we also have a number of medium-sized companies that are among the best in the world in their respective areas,” enthuses the resigning director of economics. The so-called hidden champions, which Aargau to date has also been counted. Otherwise, human capital would hardly escape him en masse. This is exactly what the platform is about to change.

Treats attract employees and businesses

For more information on companies in Aargau, the association “Work Life Aargau” is organizing a competition. All employees of an Aargau company can participate. To enter the contest, all you have to do is post a statement about your employer on the “Work Life Aargau” platform in the “Employee pulse” section (www.worklifeaargau.ch/mitarbeiterpuls). Three continuous training vouchers worth 500 francs will be raffled among all writers. But that’s not all: if employees do it in sufficient numbers, they can also win for your company.

If at least three employees write comments about their employer per company, the company can earn an annual membership worth CHF 3,000. The deadline for registrations is November 8.

President of Aargau

Chamber of Commerce and Industry