Take Time Off Work and Get Additional Training Paid for by the German Government
Take Time Off Work and Get Additional Training Paid for by the German Government
Upskill yourself through Qualifizierungsgeld. The struggles in Germany are real. Germany might ban TikTok. Germans are consuming less meat and opting for fast-food.
What’s on this week?
With the Qualifizierungsgeld, you and your employer can apply for additional training that the state will pay in part for. Life in Germany isn’t for the weak—energy costs are high, employers say they can’t find qualified people, and foreigners struggle with racism, bureaucracy, and more. TikTok might be on the way out. A new(ish) vegan supermarket is set to open, and Germans are eating more Döner. 🥙
Personal News & Musings
Sometimes, I'm going to overshare and/or rant a bit.
You may have noticed I didn’t send a newsletter on Monday. It was a long weekend, and I enjoyed it! Consider this a special “in-between” edition.
I went on another rant; you can read more about it here. 😆
Community News
News from The Berlin Life community.
Our next community event is a women’s only networking dinner on Apr 24. Join us! 🥂
Last time, we talked about cover letters, and I asked people if they customize them for each job application - more than 70% say they do!
Now, let’s discover what’s important when accepting a new job in Germany.
If you missed it, check out last week’s blast: What are your thoughts on German cover letters? If you're new here, see the archives.
Food For Thought
Interesting articles about the world of work.
Worldwide, tech workers are struggling to secure work after being laid off, and those who aren’t laid off also find difficulties.
Dell told remote employees who don’t want to come back to the office they won’t be promoted. Perhaps this is partly due to the executive hubris driving five-day in-office mandates.
Airbnb has made a massive step towards pay transparency. 💸
Companies Hiring
German companies that are hiring right now.
Duolingo | Berlin
Elucid Social | Berlin
Montblanc | Hamburg
Octopus Energy | Berlin & Munich
SoSafe | Germany wide
Zenjob | Berlin
Follow our LinkedIn page for even more job postings (and other good stuff). 💪
German Startup News
German startups that recently received funding, were acquired, built up staff, etc., and could be good places to look for jobs.
Adon Health | Munich | Jobs
Gunzilla Games | Frankfurt | Jobs
Stackfield | Munich | Jobs
World Fund | Berlin | Jobs
News in Germany
All of the news in Germany.
‘We can’t find a single German or European applicant’: Deeptech startups feel bite of talent shortage - According to a recent Reuters article, racism is a big part of it, as are German companies' failure to pay employees well enough.
Meet Josef Foos: The man behind Berlin’s beloved little ‘Street Yogis’ - Foos makes life in Berlin just lovely through his ongoing art project. Have you spotted one of his pieces in the wild?
German unemployment rises less than expected in March - Despite economic woes, the labor market remained strong and unemployment was 5.9%.
A marketing victory for Nike is a business win for Adidas - When the German football team ended its longstanding relationship with Adidas, some people were devastated.
Vegan-only REWE supermarket to open in Germany - It’s not really new, just rebranded under new ownership, but Berlin vegans are welcoming this. Meanwhile, meat consumption fell to an all-time low in 2023.
German mail service stops using domestic flights to transport letters after nearly 63 years - The move will help them reduce their carbon emissions by 80%.
Could Germany be the first in Europe to ban TikTok? Lawmakers call for debate following US vote - I first scoffed at the idea of a ban, but there are some legitimate reasons for considering such a move.
Berlin to install 20 new bike repair stations - You can pump air into your tires and make other repairs for free.
Germany: Bahn, train drivers agree to 35-hour week in deal - The strikes are finally over and everyone’s hopes the new 35-hour work week will set a new precedent.
Northvolt launches electric car battery plant in Germany - The new plant in Germany will create 3,000 new jobs. They are also going all in chips in Dresden.
Germany’s Döner and Asia-Imbisse see boom as restaurants suffer - Despite lower inflation, food costs remain high, and Germans are opting for fast food.
Dual citizenship law effective from June after German President signs bill - Finally, we’re almost there!
Germany’s €23 Billion Green Experiment to Save Its Industrial Economy - This is a surprisingly bold undertaking for Germany, which is usually risk-averse.
What to do in April: Berlin’s best events this month - As usual, Berliner brings us a host of cool events to attend this month.
These 17,000 unpatched Microsoft Exchange servers are a ticking time bomb - If you heard about how Russia recently hacked the German military’s top-secret video conferencing, you might not be surprised that the government hasn’t updated some of its IT infrastructure since 2010.
April 2024: 10 changes affecting expats in Germany - Heating costs are set to go up again, weed is legal, and workers can now apply for Qualifizierungsgeld where the government will pay you to receive further training.
What can we expect now that cannabis is legal in Germany? - Wrap your head around the peculiarities of the new law.
German living standards plummeted after Russia invaded Ukraine, say economists - High energy costs have companies struggling and real wages fell further in 2022 than any year since 1950. Germany's prosperity can be partially attributed to relationships with China, the US, and Russia; so the country is struggling with one of the sources cutoff. Other reasons have contributed to stagnant economic growth as well.
CeeCee recommends that Berliners visit the Spreewald and there’s also a new initiative to get people to visit the Berlin outside of the Ring. I recommend these day trips from Berlin for more inspiration, as well as the beautiful pink-hued palace in Biesdorf.
How We Can Help
The good stuff offered by the Berlin Life.
Connect with like-minded professionals in our community by adding your info to our LinkedIn Connect and Exchange list. You can also chat with others in our Facebook and Slack community spaces. 🗣️
We offer career coaching (and other services), plus free guides to living, working, and moving to Berlin. Here’s a sampling of some of our guides:
Until next time. 👋
Cheryl Howard
Founder @ The Berlin Life