For the Future
in the Ruhr region

Bärbel Bergerhoff-​Wodopia: ‘Short and sweet’ isn't that easy, but I'll give it a try: Through its work, the RAG Foundation helps ensure that people can continue to enjoy a high quality of life in the former coal mining regions of the Ruhr, Saarland and Ibbenbüren even in the post-mining era.
 

Gladly. To answer this question, we need to take a look back at history: after the war, coal mining was once the driving force behind the German economic miracle. The coal crisis hit in the late 1950s, followed by a long, hard road with numerous mine closures and extensive job cuts, and finally the end of German coal mining in 2018. The foundation was established in 2007 in this context and was initially tasked with ensuring that the end of coal mining was managed in a socially acceptable manner. This was a huge undertaking and an unprecedented achievement by all those involved.

Today, the main task of the RAG Foundation is to finance the perpetual obligations arising from German coal mining. It has been fulfilling this task with absolute reliability every year since 2019. Perpetual obligations are tasks that continue indefinitely – i.e. forever – such as mine water management, pumping surface water and groundwater purification. All of this costs between 250 and 300 million euros annually. This money first has to be earned. To this end, the foundation invests its assets and generates the necessary funds from its broadly diversified capital investments.

Another task of the RAG Foundation is to promote projects in the fields of education, science and culture, provided they are related to coal mining. One focus, which is also very close to my heart, is on promoting education for disadvantaged children and young people.

Because nothing works without education. It cannot and must not be the case that children have fewer educational opportunities simply because their families are less well off financially. Counteracting this is a matter of particular concern to me personally. In keeping with the tradition of coal mining, the RAG Foundation is committed to ensuring that children and young people have good educational opportunities – regardless of their background.

Education is the key to participation and a self-determined life. What's more, we can't afford to leave existing talent untapped – think of the shortage of skilled workers.

Ensuring educational equality is a task for society as a whole. We at the RAG Foundation are doing our part. But we need to do even more, and we need to do it together.

TUMO is an innovative educational concept for young people between the ages of 12 and 18 that was developed in Armenia and introduced in Germany on the initiative of KfW. We, the RAG Foundation, have taken on the financial support.

What makes TUMO special is that it is completely free of charge and promotes key skills that are particularly important for educational success. It is primarily aimed at the target group of our educational support mentioned above – disadvantaged children and young people. The aim is to teach them STEM and digital skills.

The ‘TUMO Learning Centre Essen | Ruhr Area’ began operations at the beginning of September and is located in the Colosseum in Essen city centre. More than 700 young people per week can learn skills here after school in areas such as animation, programming, robotics and photography.

I attach great importance to in-company training because I know from my own experience how valuable the combination of practical experience and learning is.

I am firmly convinced that in-company training is and will remain an important building block for successfully shaping the transformation of the world of work. Issues such as digitalisation and sustainability are bringing about enormous changes in the demands placed on employees. This makes it all the more important to provide young people with practical training and equip them with both technical skills and interdisciplinary abilities such as problem-solving, teamwork and digital literacy.

In-company training ensures that companies develop skilled workers who truly meet their requirements. Ultimately, both sides benefit. Young people gain career prospects and companies gain qualified employees.

Educational work in the Ruhr region is closely linked to integration work. Due to its coal and steel industry past, our region has been characterised by diversity for decades. There was a time when mining often provided work and participation opportunities for people who came to us from outside the region. Today, education determines whether participation and equal opportunities are truly successful. And also whether integration is successful.

Training and further education are immensely important for bringing people from different backgrounds together and overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers. That is why I see educational work as a key factor for social cohesion and, ultimately, for the economic sustainability of our region.

The Ruhr region has always drawn its strength from industrial hubs – and we will continue to need them in the future. Sectors such as energy, chemicals and healthcare remain the cornerstones of our economy. At the same time, it is important to link the industrial base with a vibrant start-up scene. Start-ups create innovative strength, agility and new business models.

That is why the RAG Foundation established the BRYCK innovation and start-up centre at the beginning of 2022. This has since developed into the BRYCK Start-up Alliance – a consortium comprising the RAG Foundation, the University Alliance Ruhr, the Initiativkreis Ruhr and BRYCK itself. The aim of the initiative is to establish a leading European centre for the development of high-growth deep tech start-ups.

My conclusion in response to your question: the future industry of the Ruhr region is not a single sector. It is the combination of an industrial base and a dynamic entrepreneurial spirit.

Because they create connections between people, companies and initiatives in the Ruhr region, thereby strengthening exchange and cohesion. Networks are the antithesis of parochialism, because together we can achieve more. This applies on both a large and small scale and is also evident, for example, in our cooperation with the Regionalverband Ruhr. When I am able to get personally involved – for example, on the BMR's board of trustees – I don't see it as a duty, but rather as an opportunity and a privilege to be able to provide impetus.

Both. I don't think we have to choose. We are very good at combining tradition and modernity and making the best of both worlds.