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German states asked to decide on projects for new stimulus package

German state officials agreed on Tuesday to have concrete proposals ready in early January for a new economic stimulus package. The plan, which could total up to €40 billion, will target infrastructure projects.

Published: 23 December 2008 16:39 CET

German states asked to decide on projects for new stimulus package

Photo: DPA

The package, which aims to stimulate Germany’s moribund economy, will focus on investment in roads, broadband Internet access, energy efficiency projects, and schools and universities. It would also lower contributions to Germany’s public health care system by one percentage point.

“All in all, we want to take measures that will have a sustained effect on the federal, state and municipal levels and which will boost the economy,” said Thomas de Maizière, Merkel’s chief of staff. “It’s about strengthening Germany by modernising its infrastructure.”

Leaders will meet again on January 5 for further discussion of the stimulus package, which is supposed to be passed next month. The new package follows a first round of measures passed earlier this month to help the country fight recession.

In additional to the infrastructure projects, German Economy Minister Michael Glos of the conservative Christian Social Union is demanding €25 billion in tax cuts. “Lowering income taxes brings together what is necessary in the short term with what is right in the long term,” he said.

Some conservative politicians have threatened to block the new stimulus package unless it includes the tax reductions. But Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as the Social Democratic Finance Minister Peer Steinbrück, has come out against any cuts in tax rates.

Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s environment minister, has warned against what he called an “orgy of road construction.” In Tuesday’s Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper, Gabriel said investments should be directed towards noise protection measures, street repair and rail projects.

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions.

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds.

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local.

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with.

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