From 10 to 12 March 2026, the partners of the Interreg Europe CAPABLE project met in Dreieich and Neu Isenburg (Frankfurt) for the second Exchange of Experience (EoE) event of Semester 2, focused on improving training pathways and qualification systems for workers in the elderly care sector.

The event was organised by Pro Arbeit, the municipal employment centre of the Offenbach District.

Day 1 – Partner Coordination Meeting & Steering Committee (10 March, Dreieich)

The event opened with a coordination session among the partners, focused on project progress and management aspects. Informest oversaw the organisation of the event, providing an overview regarding:

• Status of activities, policy development and good practices.
• Updates on financial management and reporting.
• Communication progress and next steps.
• Definition of the Semester 1 thematic focus: “Promoting regular work”.

The day concluded with the Steering Committee, which validated the project’s progress and upcoming milestones.

Day 2 – Transnational Exchange of Experience (11 March, Neu Isenburg)

The full‑day Exchange of Experience meeting brought together regional experts, policymakers, service providers and training institutions to discuss qualification systems, labour shortages, and innovative training pathways in elderly care.

Panel 1 – National legal frameworks and qualification recognition
Speakers from Hesse and national institutions illustrated how elderly care systems are organised in Germany, highlighting current challenges related to staff shortages and skill needs.

Panel 2 – Improving qualification pathways: local training initiatives
Participants explored local training and qualification programmes such as “Pflegehelfer Plus” and “Alltagshilfe”, with contributions from public agencies, training organisations and employers. Testimonials from trainees enriched the discussion with practical insights.

Good practices from partner regions

In the afternoon, four regional approaches to professional training in the care sector were presented:

• Italy (Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia and FIDALDO): regional and national training systems for social‑health operators and domestic workers.
• Belgium (Governor Kinsbergencenter): the “KANZ – effective activation for care” project, funded by the Province of Antwerp.
• Poland (Kuyavian‑Pomeranian Voivodeship): a project and training pathway for long‑term caregivers.
• Spain (Region of Murcia): experiential projects in the care sector aimed at recognising skills.

A group work session followed, during which partners jointly assessed the challenges and developed solutions to improve qualification and training systems. The discussion focused in particular on topics such as: recognition of qualifications and access to qualification pathways, training systems and alignment with labour market needs, funding, governance and cooperation.
The next project theme was then officially launched: “Costs for public administration and families in elderly care.”

Day 3 – Study visits (12 March, Offenbach & Rodgau)

The partners visited three organisations active in training, care services and community support:

• USS GmbH (Offenbach): a long‑established institution specialised in vocational and social‑care training.
• Johanniter‑Unfall‑Hilfe e.V. (Rodgau): a major humanitarian and social organisation hosting a training school for nurses.
• Schon & Jansen Tagespflege (Neu‑Isenburg): a day‑care and assistance centre offering personalised care for elderly people.

The visits provided direct insights into operational models, cooperation mechanisms, and practical examples of qualification pathways within the German care sector.

Conclusions

The exchange of experiences within the CAPABLE project represented an important opportunity for dialogue and collective growth. The discussion among European regions and partners made it possible to share experiences, identify critical issues and propose concrete solutions for the future of training and qualification of workers in the care sector. The work carried out lays the foundations for new developments and synergies, which are essential to address the challenges of a sector that is constantly evolving.