Refugees given a chance at Deutsche Post DHL Group

BONN: June 20, 2018. Acknowledging World Refugee Day, the Deutsche Post DHL Group says 4,790 refugees have been given an inside look at working life at the company since 2015 and 1,702 from Syria, Eritrea, Somalia, Iran and Iraq are currently employed.

Now the Group is collaborating with ‘Joblinge’, a non-profit organization that helps young people up to the age of 25 with or without a refugee background to enter the world of work.

DPDHL Go Teach Refugees “Employment is an important prerequisite for successful integration. Hence, as a global company, it goes without saying that we will provide refugees with opportunities within the scope of our resources,” says Thomas Ogilvie, Board member for Personnel, Labor Director and Corporate Incubations.

“We have already gained a great deal of positive experience even though we have had to navigate our way around a lot of red tape. We, as employers, also benefit from having a wider circle of applicants. This is of great advantage to us when we recruit new staff, as, particularly in some metropolitan areas, where the good economic environment provides for full employment, the search for personnel can become a challenge,” he explains.

Together with the Federal Employment Agency, Deutsche Post, Deutsche Telekom and Henkel have now launched a ‘Praktikum PLUS Direkteinstieg’ programme, which employs a three-phase concept to integrate refugees into the world of work.

During a 12-week period they have the opportunity to become familiar with their place of work and are gradually provided with induction training.
This phase is then followed by an internship with a broader remit and increased responsibility. During this time, language and integration courses may also be attended if required. In the final phase the refugees are offered employment with a fixed-term two-year contract.

Deutsche Post DHL Group has also launched the first international programmes to support people who have had to flee from their homes in cooperation with SOS Children’s Villages in Sweden, Lebanon and Syria as well as with Teach For Lebanon.