A European Commission's initiative to support labour market integration

On 23 May 2017 the European Commission launched the initiative Employers together for integration at the occasion of the second meeting of the European Dialogue on Skills and Migration to give visibility to what employers are doing to support the integration of refugees and other migrants into the labour market.

Article extracted from the European Commission website.

The successful integration of third-country nationals in the EU labour market represents an opportunity for our societies. When effectively integrated they can help improve the functioning and performance of the labour market, as well as support fiscal sustainability. 

In this process, the role of economic and social partners, and in particular of employers, is crucial. Several initiatives have been initiated by employers, trade unions, chambers of

commerce in many member states.

The European Social fund is the main funding instrument supporting labour market inclusion, including of migrants. The Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) can also provide funding for preparatory measures to access the labour market.

A call for proposal under AMIF will be launched in the second part of 2017 to support initiatives by employers and social partners to promote the labour market integration of refugees and other migrants.

Employers can join this initiative by following the link below and by describing their current and future actions to support the integration of refugees and other migrants in their workforce and beyond. If you are providing apprenticeships for migrants and refugees, you can also join the European Alliance for Apprenticeships.

- Join the initiative -

Employers supporting the initiative

We, as an employer, are willing to support the integration of refugees and other legal migrants, contributing to making Europe a place where a different origin or nationality does not impact or limit opportunities and participation.

In order to remain competitive in the global market, and in view of its demographic declining trends, more than ever Europe needs the right skills and competences for its labour market and economy to flourish. The skills, talents and competences of refugees and other legal migrants should not be wasted. When effectively integrated into the labour market, they can help meet the growing needs for skills across various sectors in EU Member States and make the European economy stronger.

While public policies and actors play a key role in facilitating the integration process, employers, including large companies, SMEs and public employers, can make an essential contribution in facilitating the integration of refugees and other legal migrants into the labour market and beyond. Offering opportunities, valuing and further developing skills and competences and facilitating the creation of an inclusive workplace are only some of the areas where employers can take action to make integration a reality. Several efforts were made over recent years across Europe to support refugees' labour market integration and many employers are already engaged in this field. Now is the moment to build on these, create synergies, multiply and scale-up actions.

Deutsche Telekom AG

As Deutsche Telekom, we commit to the following concrete actions:

Offering refugees concrete opportunities to enter the labour market through

• Internships: providing internships for refugees that are structured around concrete learning outcomes
• Apprenticeships and Corporate Bachelor Degree Programmes: providing places for refugees, combining them with language training and bridging programmes in cooperation with the German Federal Employment Agency and the Office of Migration and Refugees
• Jobs: the development of the new program “Praktikum plus Direkteinstieg” combining internship and direct entry positions in order to allow refugees to adapt to European working life in co-operation with two other German companies and the German Federal Employment Agency
• Career guidance:
  • Providing general information about the German labour market and possible careers paths to refugees on the online platform handbookgermany.de supported by Deutsche Telekom
  • Initiating the online job search platform Careers4Refugees.de in co-operation with Jobstairs and Jobware

Supporting refugees in developing their skills to enter and remain in the labour market through

• Scholarships: providing scholarships for refugees at the Telekom-owned University of Telecommunications Leipzig promoting information technology and telecommunication expertise and thus providing the scholarship holders with a first-class academic education
• Application Trainings: providing learning materials for application trainings for refugees
• Supporting trainers and supervisors in understanding refugees needs in the context of internships and apprenticeships
• Post-placement support for refugees after they start working at Deutsche Telekom to ensure sustainability of employment

Create an environment that promotes inclusion, both in the workplace and beyond through

• Favour exchange between employees with and without migrant backgrounds through round tables, networks and buddy programmes
• Promoting volunteering through acknowledgment via special leave to staff who support integration outside work via volunteering
• Subscribing to the Diversity Charter in Germany
• Active participation in the initiative “Wir zusammen” and thus promoting co-operation amongst companies in order to tackle the issue of refugee integration into the labour market

Download the contributionSearch for available translations of the preceding link of Deutsche Telekom.

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