Bayer has enrolled the first participants in its job preparation course for refugees. Five young men aged 20 to 26 from Syria, Bangladesh, Eritrea and Guinea signed contracts for the four-month course starting Oct. 26 at the German group’s vocational training center in Leverkusen on Oct. 9.

Future participants in the course first must pass written and oral language tests. The main aim of the course is to improve the participants’ German so that they can obtain the B2 certificate, demonstrating that they have the language skills required for vocational training, said George Müller, head of Human Resources for Bayer in Germany.

The course also includes initial career guidance and a four-week hands-on internship at the Bayer and Lanxess-owned Chempark production site in Leverkusen. Throughout the course, the participants will be supported by an educational social worker. Additional enrollees, including young women, will be selected for the course shortly, bringing the total to 20. 

Bayer is selecting candidates in collaboration with municipal organizations in Leverkusen, but also welcomes nominations from other institutions and applications directly from refugees in the local area for the course run by a certified educational institution.

On completion of the course, graduates can apply for the regular Bayer pre-training program set up nearly 30 years ago to prepare disadvantaged youngsters for subsequent training in a technical positions.