The new education bonus: up to 500 € from the state

Since the beginning of 2010 every employee can get financial support of up to 500 € for further training. And since the 1 Jun 2010 the HWBR has been an approved information centre in Rostock.

Up to now, many people have known about subsidies for job seekers, and some employed people have asked themselves whether their further training would also be funded by the state. The education bonus is a highly attractive subsidy, especially targeted at further training for employees, those who are returning to their jobs after a longer absence, as well as for mothers or fathers on parental leave. The Federal Ministry for Education and Reserach has substantially improved their subsidies from the 01 January 2010, and has authorized one central office in the Hanseatic City of Rostock to advise interested parties on financial support via the education bonus. Since the 01 Jun 2010 the Hanseatische Weiterbildungs- und Beschäftigungsgemeinschaft Rostock, HWBR, has been a state-approved information centre, and is allowed to advise interested people, and to issue the desired education bonus vouchers. Its convenient location at the train stop Marienehe, between the centre of Rostock and Warnemünde makes the HWBR easy to reach, so that all employees from Rostock and the administrative districts of Bad Doberan and Güstrow can come here for consulting, and immediately after a successful consultation, they can be issued their bonus voucher for up to 500 €.

For the receipt of the voucher it is not relevant, what course the interested person wants to book or with which training provider. Quite the opposite: the HWBR automatically suggests each person at least three providers of compareable course offers.

Basically, all further training courses, seminars and even examinations can be subsidized if they take place outside the company you work for.

The only requirement is that the taxable annual income doesn't exceed 25,600 € (51,200 € for joint return filers). For this limit it is relevant that the gross annual income can be higher than the taxable income. Have a look at your last electronic certificate of wage tax deduction for details.

Then there is the personal consultation - at the HWBR in Marienehe - required, and you can already start your next training course. It is only important that you first apply for the education bonus and then book the desired course.

This way once a year 50% of the further training and examination costs can be subsidized up to a maximum of 500 €. So the State pays for a seminar that costs 800 € an amount of 400 €, and for a course that costs 1,200 € the State gives the maximum amount of 500 €.

The education bonus voucher can be handed in like cash when paying your further training course - no matter where you book your course - provided the training provider accepts these vouchers. You will get information on training providers that accept the bonus vouchers during your consultation at the HWBR: your personal consultant would be pleased to make the phone-call for you, and ask the respective training provider if they actually accept the voucher.

From now on, interested employees can call our contact persons Anne Zeitel and Martina Schlotthauer at 0381/8070729, and make an appointment for a cost-free personal consultation. Enterprises who want to offer their staff a special service, e.g. regarding personnel development, can arrange an appointment with the HWBR on-site. The HWBR consultant will then come to the company premises, and offer personal advice to all staff members directly at their workplace. It is also possible for training providers in Rostock to arrange appointments for their potential participants who would like to benefit from the subsidiy.

"It is very important that each employee can apply for the education bonus voucher every year again", says HWBR Managing Director Peter L. Pedersen "who wants to get ahead in their professional careers, can get subsidies for almost perfect qualification over the years."

For your consultation you need to bring all necessary documents with you: ID-card, the electronic certificate of wage tax deduction (or the last three pay slips) and - if you are not a German citizen - a settlement or residence permit is required.

This project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research and the European Social Fund (ESF) of the European Union.

http://www.hwbr.de/en/general/education-news/the-new-education-bonus-up-to-500-from-the-state.html