Championing The Growth Of Employment
In today’s world, youth unemployment is a considerable social tragedy, with one third of young people worldwide without access to education, training or a job of any kind. 40% of the world’s unemployed people are youth aged 15-24, according to the International Labor Organisation (ILO).
Thyssenkrupp Elevator is partnering with SOS Children’s Villages to support young people in regions with severe youth unemployment rates. In Project SEED, up to 60 SOS youth in Colombia, 100 in Brazil and 130 in India will receive assistance in the form of soft and basic skills training, career guidance, entrepreneurship support and real-world work experience. The aim is to help the young people become employable, independent adults.
Under the project, local Thyssenkrupp employees will volunteer as trainers, mentors and role models, offering their expertise and access to their professional social networks, while the company will provide selective financial aid to entrepreneurship projects, and offer apprenticeships and career opportunities.
With the start of the program in Bogota, Colombia, the goal is to concretely identify activities for each of the youth participants, given their specific needs and the resources available.
Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator said, “Our business is the design, manufacture, delivery and servicing of advanced urban mobility solutions that contribute to making cities the best possible places to live. Naturally, that also means supporting equitable social balance and quality of life.”
Young people make up a growing percentage of the total number of children and youth supported. At the moment, 60% of young people have a job one year after they left family-based care and 71% make at least satisfactory progress in education. The 2030 Strategy aims to bring both of these numbers above 90% by 2030
Petra Horn, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages, adds: “Today, youth unemployment is a global challenge. But children and youth who have grown up in alternative care or in a SOS Children’s Village face a much bigger challenge. They haven’t had the chance to learn naturally from their parents to get an idea how the working life looks like. These young people need special support.”
With the launch of Project SEED, Thyssenkrupp participates in the YouthCan! initiative, which builds on a strong alliance between non-governmental organisations, the private sector, governments and the commitment of young people eager to advance in life.
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