Ausbildungswohnen in der Region Rhein-Neckar
Information and networking platform
23 Members
On 9 October 2024, a networking event organized by the Rhine-Neckar district on the topic of trainee housing took place at the district administration office in Heidelberg. Training companies, trainees, property developers, associations, social institutions and other stakeholders interested in the topic came together to exchange needs and ideas, network and gain initial impetus.
With this group, we want to create the opportunity to network stakeholders and share ideas and information in order to advance the topic together. You are cordially invited to join this group to exchange ideas with us.
We will also publish information and articles on this topic here at regular intervals.
Organizer
Alexander Hack
Koordinator Generalistische Pflegeausbildung, Rhein-Neckar-Kreis
The State Initiative for Building Culture invites you to the 2026 Network Conference: Together with you, the Ministry for Building Culture and Housing Baden-Württemberg wants to focus on the importance and responsibility of the built and designed space for coexistence in the state. Everyday places for encounters, individuality, and cohesion. Resilient, climate-adapted open spaces and well-made spaces for living and working. Access to affordable housing and communal quality of life.
Further information and the opportunity to register can be found at the following link:
https://www.baukultur-bw.de/vernetzt/netzwerkkonferenz-2026
The "Commercial to Residential" grant has been available for applications since July 1, 2026. It is aimed at anyone who wishes to convert a heated building (or parts thereof) not used for residential purposes into living space.
Mixed use is also permitted in the target state. Furthermore: A prerequisite for the grant is a subsequent or already completed energy-efficient renovation.
Further information on the funding program can be found at the following link:
Affordable housing in the Rhein-Neckar district is a challenge – not only in the cities, but increasingly also in rural areas. Here lies an opportunity for companies: If you provide housing for your employees, you relieve them financially and make it easier for them to start in a new environment. Furthermore, such offers strengthen the bond with the company and make employers more attractive to skilled workers. Those who receive affordable or comfortable housing from their employer often stay with the company longer – a clear advantage in the competition for talent.
We want to explore these possibilities in a practical way. Architects, companies, the housing industry, investors, chambers of commerce, charitable organizations, municipalities, and all interested parties are cordially invited to a free online information event organized by the Economic Development Unit and the Coordination Office for Generalist Nursing Training together with the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects, Rhein-Neckar District Chamber Group.
You can find further information and the opportunity to register at the following link:
Living, working, and mobility are closely intertwined, especially in rural areas. Housing is more affordable, but commutes to work and essential services are longer. There is discussion about vacant properties, yet suitable housing options are lacking. How can these challenges be addressed?
In the South Westphalia region, five districts have been working together for almost 20 years to continuously develop the region and jointly find solutions to the consequences of demographic change and other challenges. This collaboration has also resulted in numerous ideas and projects related to mobility and housing in rural areas.
Together with the South Westphalia Agency, DVS invites you to a bus excursion to South Westphalia in North Rhine-Westphalia in July to learn about projects and regional mobility strategies on site, exchange experiences and experience ideas, routes and solutions in a practical way.
Further information and the opportunity to register can be found at the following link:
With vocational training, university studies, starting a career, or beginning a family, young adults face the question of whether to stay, leave, or return. They are in a transitional phase where pivotal decisions for their future are made. Although young adults play a crucial role in the structural and demographic development of rural areas, they are rarely perceived or addressed as a group.
This is where the study "Where do I want to live?" comes in. It identifies key factors influencing young adults' decisions about where to live. While they are generally open to living in the countryside, they encounter various obstacles when it comes to making it happen. The study particularly emphasizes the need for suitable housing.
The event offers an overview of the most important study results, focusing on the topic of housing. Experts will present examples and strategies for creating housing for young adults in rural areas.
Further information and the opportunity to register can be found at the following link:
https://alr-bw.de/,Lde/startseite/veranstaltungen/260615-wohnwuensche-junger-erwachsener
Companies in many parts of Germany that want to hire trainees and skilled workers are facing increasing difficulties due to a tight rental housing market. Often, apartments are scarce and expensive precisely where there are job and apprenticeship openings. However, there are models and solutions that companies can use to address this problem. Innovators and problem solvers will demonstrate what these solutions look like and who is needed to implement them, presenting concrete examples of their implementation.
Friday, March 27, 2026, between 12:30 and 13:30 digitally via MS Teams.
Further information and the opportunity to register can be found at the following link:
https://event.dihk.de/dialogveranstaltungbeschftigtenwohnen
With the law on "accelerating housing construction and securing housing" (Construction Turbo), the federal government has introduced new planning law instruments.
For municipalities, the application of these instruments entails new decision-making opportunities and planning responsibilities. Therefore, the Ministry of Regional Development and Housing of Baden-Württemberg, together with the "Affordable Housing and Innovative Construction" strategy dialogue, has developed the "Construction Turbo BW" package of measures to support municipalities.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://www.wohnraumoffensive-bw.de/kompetenzzentrum/massnahmenpaket-bau-turbo-bw
With the call for proposals “Preventing homelessness – creating living space”, the Vector Foundation is targeting committed non-profit organizations, sponsoring organizations and municipalities in Baden-Württemberg whose projects create living space, test new housing formats, prevent homelessness or sustainably improve the living conditions of homeless people.
The tender is open until April 15, 2026.
Further information and application details can be found at the following link:
https://vector-stiftung.de/ausschreibungen/wohnungslosigkeit-verhindern-wohnraum-schaffen/
On March 11, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the “Employee Housing” network invites you to a digital networking meeting.
Dr. Peter Diedrich, Chairman of the Board of the German Association "Job & Wohnen" e. V. , presents a construction project that combines employee housing with the cooperative principle . Thirteen companies from Berlin have joined forces for a project in Berlin-Spandau and are acquiring occupancy rights for their employees in approximately 150 apartments through construction cost subsidies.
Franziska Bensch, a consultant at the BBSR (Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development ), presents the results of the current study "Housing Supply and Housing Needs of Students and Trainees" (see below). The study shows for the first time quantitatively that trainees are particularly affected by housing shortages, high costs, and competition in tight markets.
The network's digital meetings are open to all interested parties . Participation is free .
Further information and the opportunity to register can be found at the following link:
https://www.netzwerkmaw.de/event-details/digitales-netzwerktreffen-am-11-september-2025-1-1
The state is launching the funding program "Clever Building BW". The aim is to support model projects in housing construction that test innovative approaches to existing building and equipment standards.
The aim is to support, for the first time, model projects in residential construction that test an innovative approach to existing building and equipment standards, thereby demonstrating new ways of building that is high-quality, cost-effective and resource-efficient.
Further information can be found at the following link:
In a 90-minute event, various presentations will examine the value, use, and future of existing buildings in rural areas. Discussions will focus on the obstacles that need to be removed to promote more consistent use of existing buildings. Details about the program can be found at the following link:
www.dvs-gap-netzwerk.de/zukunftsforum
Registrations are possible via the following link:
The Wüstenrot Foundation's Design Prize is an architectural competition, now in its 15th year. Its unique feature is the annually selected competition theme, which addresses current building challenges facing our society.
Especially in housing construction, we need simple, streamlined solutions that are not only functional but also socially sustainable. How much space does a good apartment need? What needs should it meet? What architectural qualities promote community, neighborliness, and participation?
In this sense, the Wüstenrot Foundation's 2026 Design Prize is seeking exemplary projects that represent a new living culture and meet the design requirements of our time.
Further information can be found at the following link:
The 2026 Municipal Dialogue offers a platform for exchange, discussion, and networking. It will begin with a welcome address followed by a panel discussion with Sabine Poschmann, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Construction, and representatives from leading municipal associations. The panel will revisit questions raised at the last Municipal Dialogue and discuss current topics that contribute to improving the framework for living and working in rural areas.
Participants are invited to actively contribute to the discussion and the three subsequent discussion rounds. The focus will be on issues related to dealing with vacant buildings, strengthening local public services, and the smart future of rural areas.
The municipal dialogue is aimed at representatives from cities, municipalities and districts in rural areas, representatives of the housing industry with properties in rural areas, and experts from research, associations and institutions.
Further information can be found at the following link:
From the rural communes of the 1970s to senior living in former pigpens today – living together in old buildings, repurposing a different form of housing, and repurposing empty old buildings and filling them with life is nothing new and is more than a recurring trend. Rural areas offer space for the dream of country living, which doesn't necessarily refer to a single-family home in a new development. And: Old existing buildings offer space for many people to live together. Activating them contributes to the creation of vibrant villages and also to the preservation of existing structures – for example, when public services are created in residential projects.
The practical workshop will explore the unique opportunities offered by new uses and the creation of communal living space in rural areas. Following the established principle of "learning from existing practices," valuable insights and exemplary experiences will be presented, demonstrating how this can be implemented.
Further information and the opportunity to register can be found at the following link:
The goal of this funding program is to promote environmentally friendly, resource-efficient, and shared mobility through car-sharing services in rural areas or in underserved and undeveloped locations. The policy is intended to contribute to reducing private motorized transport, reducing CO₂ emissions, and relieving congestion on public spaces.
Funding is provided as a one-time project grant. The funding method is generally a fixed amount of €15,000.
Further information can be found at the following link:
With the funding program "Universities as Innovation Labs for Sustainable Cities and Regions," the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) supports collaborative projects in which universities, together with partners in their cities and regions, develop suitable innovations for climate neutrality, resource conservation, and quality of life. The universities thus become driving forces and real-world laboratories for sustainable transformation – with an impact far beyond the campus.
Project outlines can be submitted until November 17, 2025. Further information can be found at the following link:
The competition, organized by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB), aims to raise awareness nationwide of the topic of "activating vacant properties" and demonstrate new opportunities for concrete action in rural areas. At the same time, it highlights the great potential of rural regions as attractive places to live and increases their appeal.
The award recognizes successful measures and projects that successfully reactivate vacant properties for residential use and thus make a sustainable contribution to local development. We are looking for pioneering projects from rural areas.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://www.bbsr.bund.de/BBSR/DE/forschung/aufrufe/aktuelle-meldungen/aus-leer-wird-mehr.html
With a new innovation award, "Church and Affordable Housing," the Ministry for Regional Development and Housing (MLW) is honoring exemplary church projects and initiatives that contribute innovatively to the creation of affordable housing. The goal is to highlight successful projects and good ideas, thus supporting churches and municipalities in leveraging the church's considerable potential for housing.
A total prize money of €50,000 will be awarded. How this prize money is distributed depends on the number and quality of the applications submitted. A jury of experts will evaluate the submitted works.
Participants include parishes, church organizations, initiatives, planners, representatives of the construction industry and skilled trades, and anyone involved in projects that pursue this objective.
Project proposals can be submitted until October 12, 2025.
For further information please visit:
https://mlw.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/bauen-wohnen/wohnraumoffensive-baden-wuerttemberg/innovationspreis-kirchen
In the Documents menu you will find a new information sheet on funding the modernization of existing housing for trainees at L-Bank Baden-Württemberg.
The new funding supports childcare services at trainee residences by "guides" who accompany dual-track trainees or those preparing for dual-track training. One of the prerequisites for funding is temporary or permanent accommodation in a facility for trainees in Baden-Württemberg.
Individual projects may also be specifically aimed at immigrants from EU and third countries. Accommodation facilities for trainees may include, in particular, accommodations designed or suitable for communal accommodation of trainees, as well as boarding schools at inter-company training centers and vocational schools.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://wm.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/foerderprogramme-und-aufrufe/liste-foerderprogramme/foerderung-von-betreuungsangeboten-an-auszubildendenwohnstaetten
While the relevance of young adults to the shortage of skilled workers and demographic change is generally recognized, young adults are rarely perceived or addressed as a cohort with age-specific needs. However, the high mobility of this age group can also be an opportunity to convince them to live in rural areas. This study examines, on the one hand, how residential decisions are made in young adulthood and, on the other hand, how the attractiveness of rural regions can be maintained or increased. It is intended to support a scientifically sound approach to the young adult age group and is aimed at people in politics, administration, companies, social service providers, or associations who are active, for example, in urban planning, regional development, economic development, or recruiting.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/unser-service/publikation/did/wo-will-ich-leben-wohnortentscheidungen-junger-erwachsener-in-laendlichen-raeumen-baden-wuerttembergs
The BW housing bonus is intended to serve as an incentive for municipalities to promote voluntary relocation, initiate relocation cycles, and make underused housing available to a larger number of people. This is subject to municipal action. The relocation to underused housing in the rental segment must be initiated within the municipality.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://www.wohnraumoffensive-bw.de/praemienkatalog/wohnflaechenbonus-bw
The preliminary funding basis for "Young Living - Modernization of Dormitory Spaces for Trainees" has been announced. This funding basis exclusively concerns the modernization of existing dormitories for trainees as part of the federal "Young Living" initiative. This funding basis will complement the previously enacted basis for supporting the creation of additional – new – dormitory spaces through construction measures, including the initial acquisition within two years of completion.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://mlw.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/bauen-wohnen/wohnungsbau/wohnraumfoerderung/junges-wohnen
Just like the special program Living in Cultural Monuments launched in May 2022, the new edition of the program focuses on the development of concepts for living in cultural monuments that are appropriate to the monument and the implementation of corresponding measures for listed buildings suitable for residential purposes.
Concept vouchers in the amount of 5,000 euros, 10,000 euros, 15,000 euros and 20,000 euros, depending on the amount of eligible expenditure, will be issued to applicants who are willing to have a concept for residential use developed for their cultural monument.
Applications for concepts and flagship projects can be submitted by email to the State Office for Monument Preservation (LAD) in the Stuttgart Regional Council by June 30, 2025, as long as the necessary budget funds are available for the special program. The LAD will provide advice and handle the administrative implementation of this special program.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://www.denkmalpflege-bw.de/geschichte-auftrag-struktur/bau-und-kunstdenkmalpflege/ausschreibung-wohnen-im-kulturdenkmal
Affordable housing is scarce in many regions of Germany. However, this is often a prerequisite for companies to attract skilled workers and trainees. For many employees, especially in urban areas, housing availability plays an important role today and can be a key factor in deciding on a job offer. Employee housing can and should be an important additional component. The brochure "Living Space for Employees" is intended to provide suggestions for this. You can find the publication in the "Documents" menu in the "Publications" folder.
Key results of the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development's forecast of housing demand, including new construction needs in Germany, have been published until 2030. You can find the publication in the "Documents" menu in the "Studies" folder.
Two-thirds of working people criticize high rents. Younger workers, in particular, are considering changing jobs because rents in cities are too high. High expectations are placed on policymakers. Company housing and home office regulations can provide relief. The full study on this topic can be found in the "Documents" menu in the "Studies" folder.
The following link provides information on the upcoming dates of the event series "Future Employee Housing" initiated by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce:
https://www.dihk-service-gmbh.de/de/unsere-projekte/zukunft-beschaeftigtenwohnen
Dan Jørgensen, EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, and Nadia Calviño, President of the EIB Group (European Investment Bank), have launched a Europe-wide investment platform (press release) for affordable and sustainable housing. A one-stop shop (in English) will facilitate access to advice and financing for final beneficiaries. The EIB plans to invest €10 billion over the next two years to support the construction of affordable housing, the renovation of existing buildings, and innovation in the construction sector. The investment platform is open to national promotional banks and international financial institutions. The goal is to create or renovate 1.5 million housing units. The EIB also supports investments in
Europe's energy security and innovative companies with a total of over €100 billion. The initiative is part of the European Action Plan for Affordable Housing and is based on four pillars: partnerships to facilitate access to finance, a Europe-wide implementation with a focus on countries with high housing needs, an innovative approach to housing projects, and increased private sector involvement.
Further information can be found at the following link:
https://www.eib.org/en/projects/topics/sustainable-cities-regions/urban-development/affordable-and-sustainable-housing-test
The Training Center II is expected to open in fall 2025. It is a place that promotes community and future prospects, perfectly integrated into the proven concept of the first training center. Rental is available exclusively to companies in Heidelberg. The exposé can be found in the Documents menu.
Contact for questions and rental agreements:
Heidelberg Services gGmbH | Franziska Keller
Email: keller@hddienste.de
City of Heidelberg | Office for Economic Development and Science | Lucie Leonhardt
Email: lucie.leonhardt@heidelberg.de
In the Documents menu you will find a decree amending the eligible construction costs within the framework of the "Young Living" funding basis.