BASF has enrolled 50 refugees in its new “Start Integration” qualification scheme for workers needing help to find jobs. The German chemical group said enrollment for the program that started simultaneously with the year’s fourth quarter is limited to those who have good chances of remaining in Germany.

In the first stage of the modular undertaking, BASF said it is – in cooperation with other companies and organizations in the Rhine-Neckar region – assessing the participants’ qualifications toward finding them the right job, traineeship or apprenticeship. The initiative for refugees complements BASF’s existing booster program Anlauf zur Ausbildung, which helps young people especially to add new skills before starting an apprenticeship within its group of companies or partner companies.

“The influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees is a gigantic challenge for Germany, which   we can only overcome together,” said Margret Suckale, BASF managing board member with responsibility for overseeing Human Resources. “With the new program, we are making a tangible contribution to the integration of refugees into the labor market,” she said.