Developing foreign markets and meeting the demand for skilled workers in Thuringia

Published

16.10.2025

Author

Franziska Gerlach

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Delegation trip to Vietnam and Singapore 2019

The largest delegation ever to travel under the leadership of a Thuringian Minister-President visited Vietnam and Singapore in April 2019. Together with Bodo Ramelow, over 100 participants from the fields of business, science, and politics traveled to the two Southeast Asian countries.

International business contacts for Thuringian companies

The many small and medium-sized enterprises in Thuringia face significant challenges for the future: these include, not least, the necessary development of foreign markets and meeting the demand for skilled workers. Only through internationalization and cross-border cooperation can companies and research institutions develop successfully, and the skills gap cannot be closed without attracting talent from outside the region. The LEG's foreign trade team "Thuringia International" (TI) and the LEG's "Thuringian Agency for Skilled Worker Recruitment" (ThAFF) department provide active support in this regard.

Goals

Opening access for companies to international markets
Business ventures across Thuringian borders are being established
Finding cooperation partners for business and science
Targeting international business professionals

"Unlocking international potential for exports, cooperation and attracting skilled workers"

Andreas Krey, spokesperson for the management of LEG

"The major trip to Vietnam and Singapore shows that Thuringia needs to look beyond its borders when it comes to internationalization, business relationships, and attracting skilled workers – there are interesting partners on every continent to conclude business deals, establish collaborations, and find the employees of tomorrow. Our offerings are attractive to companies as well as research institutes and universities."

Preparation for the delegation trip for Thuringian entrepreneurs

1

The trip, with a three-digit number of participants and more than 60 program items in two countries, required complex organization in advance – TI has a corresponding international network and several years of experience in this area.

2

The preparation ranged from addressing Thuringian stakeholders with intensive promotion of the travel program to contacts with international partners in the destination countries, including politicians, companies and chambers of commerce.

3

On-site, the delegation participants received intensive support and meetings and events were held, including company visits, roundtables, cooperation exchanges with hundreds of discussion options and themed events.

4

Following the trip, a comprehensive analysis of the results was conducted, along with a follow-up and evaluation with all participants, in order to make the best possible use of and expand upon the contacts made.

New international collaborations

During the trip, numerous contacts were established and expanded. Participants advanced planning with their Asian partners, forged collaborations, and agreed to employ 60 trainees from Vietnam. Among other things, the Erfurt University of Applied Sciences, the Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, and the Innovent e.V. cluster signed three cooperation agreements in Vietnam. Production sites, a German hospital, and a training center were planned. In Singapore, where a Thuringian delegation was visiting for the first time, numerous individual business contacts were made for the companies; research cooperation was expanded.