thyssenkrupp Elevator and SOS Children’s Villages launch ‘Project SEED’ – an initiative to improve youth employability in India

· thyssenkrupp aims at training 150 youth in India

· Some teenagers get the opportunity to intern or work at thyssenkrupp Elevator

· Supporting underprivileged communities in cities around the world is part of thyssenkrupp Elevator’s vision of making cities the best places to live

After a successful start of the partnership in Columbia and Brazil, Urban mobility expert thyssenkrupp Elevator is partnering with SOS Children’s Villages – a respected global NGO – to support young people in regions with severe youth unemployment rates. thyssenkrupp and its employees will provide training to around 150 youth in India in the form of soft and basic skills training, career guidance, entrepreneurship support and real-world work experience. The aim is to help these young people successfully become employable and independent adults.

This initiative in India is part of Project Seed. Prior to India, SOS youth in Colombia and Brazil have received similar training from thyssenkrupp and its employees. 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.
In today’s world, youth unemployment is a considerable social challenge, with one third of young people worldwide without access to education, training or a job of any kind. As per the Government of India, the country is facing a paradoxical situation where on the one hand young men and women entering the labour market are looking for jobs; on the other hand industries are complaining of unavailability of appropriately skilled manpower. This paradox reflects the criticality of skill development to enhance the employability of the growing young population and also to gear-up the economy to realise the target of faster and inclusive growth.

As part of Project SEED, the company aims to address skill development inadequacies and enhance employability nationwide thereby assisting the ‘Skill India Mission’. 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.

The program will commence in Pune which is one of the 32 SOS villages in India. The kick-off event consists of a workshop for the staff of the SOS Children’s Village and the local employees of thyssenkrupp Elevator. The goal is to identify activities for each of the youth participants, given their specific needs and the resources available.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator, said, “After the immense success of Project SEED in Colombia, I am very excited to initiate the program in India which aims at training children in the country to make them aware of the importance of social responsibility activities,” Schierenbeck said, “Besides contributing towards the advanced urban mobility solutions for making cities best possible places to live, Project SEED also aims at social balance and improved quality of life among the youth of India.”

Talking about the future goals of the initiative, Petra Horn, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages, said: “Young people make up a growing percentage of the total number of children and youth supported through SOS Children’s Villages programmes. 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. Our 2030 Strategy aims to bring both of these numbers above 90% by 2030.

“We only can fulfil these goals, when we can find partners like thyssenkrupp Elevator. I’m so thankful and happy for the partnership with thyssenkrupp Elevator. They will support SOS and the youth tremendously by creating inspiring opportunities for young people and ensuring an equal chance for them to succeed in life.”
thyssenkrupp Elevator champions training, growth opportunities and talent development for all of its 52,000 employees, particularly through its “seed campus” network of more than 15 fixed and mobile learning centers located on all continents.
This network also provides part of the inspiration for thyssenkrupp Elevator’s partnership project with SOS Children’s Villages. This is also reflected in the name: Project SEED aims to Support, Educate, Elevate and Develop.

SOS Children’s Villages is an international non-profit organization that provides family-like environments and a good education for at-risk children in vulnerable communities. As the children grow into adulthood, they also receive ongoing support designed to help them obtain a steady job and a satisfying career.