Hola Kita!

With the “Hola Kita!” project, the Hannover Region is addressing the acute shortage of qualified staff in child day care: Young, unemployed Spanish graduates of the “Grado en Educación Infantil” or “Maestro en Educación Infantil” programs are given the opportunity to establish themselves in Germany as early childhood educators.

Background: Shortage of Skilled Workers in Child Day Care

The Hannover Region faces a major challenge: the shortage of early childhood educators in daycare centers (Kitas) is becoming increasingly acute. At the same time, there are many young, well-trained educators in Spain with degrees in “Grado en Educación Infantil” or “Maestro en Educación Infantil” who are unemployed despite their qualifications. This is where the “Hola Kita!” project comes in—with an innovative approach to securing a skilled workforce and fostering intercultural enrichment in the childcare landscape.

Project Objective

“Hola Kita!” aims to attract Spanish professionals with a university degree in early childhood education to the German labor market and gradually integrate them into the German childcare system.

To this end, participants go through the following process:

  1. Partial Recognition as a Social Pedagogical Assistant
    Spanish degrees are initially recognized as “Social Pedagogical Assistant,” allowing professionals to work directly in a daycare center.
  2. On-the-job continuing education
    While working at the daycare center, participants complete an adaptation course that prepares them for full recognition as a state-certified early childhood educator.
  3. Full Recognition and Long-Term Commitment to the Regional Labor Market
    Upon successful completion of the program, these professionals are available to daycare centers in the Hanover region as fully qualified early childhood educators—thereby making a lasting contribution to ensuring and improving the quality of care.

Benefits for All Involved

For Spanish professionals:

  • Career prospects in Germany
  • Recognition of qualifications and opportunities for further professional development
  • Practical experience in German daycare centers with accompanying continuing education
  • Intercultural exchange and personal development

For daycare centers in the Hanover region:

  • Recruiting motivated, qualified professionals to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers
  • Intercultural enrichment through Spanish educators who bring fresh perspectives to educational work
  • Long-term staff retention through full recognition as an early childhood educator
  • Support for integration through structured guidance throughout the project

For the Hanover region:

  • A sustainable solution to the shortage of qualified staff in child day care
  • Enhancing the region’s appeal as an employer through innovative approaches
  • Promotion of diversity and intercultural learning in childcare centers
  • European networking through collaboration with Spanish educational institutions

Project partners

  • BBS Vocational Schools, Neustadt a. Rbge.
  • Federal Employment Agency
  • Municipality of Isernhagen
  • ISK Hannover
  • Lower Saxony Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs
  • Hanover Region – Department of Education and Culture
  • RLSB Lüneburg
  • City of Garbsen
  • City of Laatzen

The project is sponsored by Caritasverband Hannover e.V.

The Hannover Region is a strategic partner through its Department of Economic and
Employment Promotion and provides proportional funding for the project. 

 

Contact

Hanover Region
Project Coordination
Leena Wilke
Project Coordination
Hanover Region
Employment Promotion
Department of Economic and Employment Promotion
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