Nestled in the South-West corner of Germany, there's a place that's not just a state, but THE LÄND—Baden-Württemberg.
Famous within Germany for its booming economy, rosy job scene, and a life so good it’s almost unfair, it's kind of like the cool kid at the EU party that nobody outside Germany knows about.
But here’s the kicker: they're understaffed.
Like, seriously.
Prognos AG's research says by 2030, they'll need a small army of skilled workers—think six figures worth. So, what’s a state to do? Throw open the cosmic doors, of course! They're like, "Hey universe, fancy a move to THE LÄND?"
Watch "Mission LÄND HERE Trailer" in English with German Subtitles below.
Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg Winfried Kretschmann isn't messing around. “Global competition for the best talent has become much tougher. It is clear to us that we need to become faster and more flexible when it comes to the immigration of skilled labour, and we are now taking a completely new approach to this. Inaction is not an option – we see this as a powerful way to communicate the advantages of living and working here to people all over the world (and even beyond!)” he says in a speech that probably had aliens tuning in.
“We want to make it unmissable to all intelligent life exactly why they should take the idea of ‘landing here' very seriously.” And if you thought that was just talk, think again. They've got a literal landing strip in Mössingen, complete with a giant yellow arrow and neon signs screaming 'LÄND HERE'. It's like a cosmic welcome mat.
Backing this intergalactic invitation are heavy hitters like Mercedes-Benz, Bosch, IBM, SAP, TeamViewer, and the Max Planck Institute. They're all in, with CEOs like Sabine Kohleisen from Mercedes-Benz adding, "We're the melting pot where ideas come to party."
But behind the interstellar antics, there’s a real message: THE LÄND isn't just open for business; it’s open for life. They've got policies smoother than a spaceship's hull for anyone who wants in.
Thinking of applying? Hop over to the LÄNDINGPAGE, where you can find the Relocation Guide and a 'Wall of Opportunities' that'll link you straight to job openings. Kretschmann sums it up, "We're making it loud and clear why you should pack your bags for THE LÄND. No, really. We mean it."
From Stefan Hartung at Bosch to Wolfgang Wendt at IBM, they're all singing the same tune.
“THE LÄND is a great place to live and work. Excellent employers, a good infrastructure, top-class educational institutions and countless opportunities for leisure pursuits,” says Stefan Hartung, Chairman of the Board of Management, Bosch. “For Baden-Württemberg’s industry and technology sector, we must continue to attract talent and qualified people from around the world.”
“THE LÄND offers everything we need to responsibly use future technologies, like cloud, AI and quantum computing for the world. It’s a place full of ideas, expertise in engineering and a vibrant ecosystem of companies, start-ups, universities and public support,” says Wolfgang Wendt, Chairman of the Management Board, IBM Germany.
And let’s not forget Bernhard Schölkopf from Max Planck, who's basically saying, 'We need brains.'
“We work on artificial intelligence. And to do the best possible work, we need human intelligence. We need the best PhD students. The best post docs. The best programmers. So come here and help us do this work,” says Bernhard Schölkopf, a Director of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems.
THE LÄND isn't just claiming to be the best place to live and work; it's backed by stats. It's got more global companies than you can shake a stick at, an extra day off compared to the rest of Germany, and apparently, living here adds years to your life—beats any gym membership. The mix of an outstanding quality of life and excellent job opportunities makes for an outstanding work-life balance and a very good reason for anyone out there to LÄND HERE. For example, Baden-Württemberg is home to 149 leading global companies, and also has an average of 28.8 holiday days per year.
So if you're out there in the cosmos, or just across the globe, and you're thinking about a change of scenery, remember: THE LÄND HERE. It’s where your next big adventure might just land you among the stars—or at least among some of the most innovative minds on Earth.