VEVEY, Switzerland – Nestlé is joining the Portuguese government, civil society and business partners in a reskilling pilot program to tackle unemployment. The initiative is the first under the Reskilling 4 Employment (R4E) program, which aims to reskill one million adults of all ages in Europe by 2025.
The Portuguese pilot project will start in January 2022 at the Institute for Employment and Professional Training (IEFP) in Porto. Nestlé is leading an ‘Industry Lab’, dedicated in the first phase to specific training of maintenance technicians (electrical and mechanical).
Nestlé worked together with IEFP to design the course, providing theoretical and on-the-job information with its Avanca factory as an example. Nestlé will lead the stream, share information, find other partners to join the lab and lead on providing internships, mentorships, on-site visits to factories, and more.
The R4E program in Portugal is driven by Sonae, SAP and Nestlé and the IEFP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security and other private sector companies.
R4E was launched by the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) to promote the reskilling of professionals for the dual digital and climate transition. Other pilot projects are being prepared in Spain and Sweden.
Selected candidates will have access to the intensive technological training program that includes practical training in real work context and is accompanied by a company professional with experience in the field, as well as support from the R4E network to find employment after graduation.
