Continental Opens State-of-the-Art Training Center in Gifhorn to Shape the Future of Work

Continental Opens State-of-the-Art Training Center in Gifhorn to Shape the Future of Work

(IN BRIEF) Continental, a global technology company, has inaugurated a new training center in Gifhorn, marking its 13th such facility in Germany since launching the Continental Institute for Technology and Transformation (CITT) in 2019. The center’s opening ceremony on September 25, 2023, was graced by dignitaries including Hubertus Heil, Germany’s Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, and Christiane Benner, Second Chairperson of IG Metall. This initiative, part of Continental’s “from work to work” program, equips employees with future-ready skills to facilitate smooth job transitions within the company or in the external job market. The Gifhorn location will train employees to meet the needs of Stiebel Eltron, with plans for a stainless steel cylinder production facility for heat pump heating systems. Continental is actively working to ensure the ongoing employability of its workforce, exemplified by the agreement with Stiebel Eltron, and is in discussions with other companies to further this mission. The CITT initiative, launched in 2019, has already trained thousands of participants, and its ongoing expansion underscores Continental’s commitment to shaping a sustainable future of work.

(PRESS RELEASE) HANOVER/GIFHORN, 27-Sep-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Continental has opened its own training center for employees in Gifhorn. It is the 13th training location the company has set up across Germany since launching its CITT training institute (Continental Institute for Technology and Transformation) in 2019. The opening ceremony on September 25, 2023, was attended, among others, by labor minister Hubertus Heil and the Second Chairperson of IG Metall, Christiane Benner.

Hubertus Heil (SPD), Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs: “The world of work is changing rapidly as a result of technological and social developments. This requires bold and responsible action from everyone involved. Continental’s ‘from work to work’ initiative is a prime example of how a socially fair transformation can be shaped with courage and drive. Here in Gifhorn, the employees of today are being equipped for the work of tomorrow. This will safeguard local jobs and industry, which I’m happy about not only as Minister of Labor, but as a member of the Bundestag with a close connection to the region.”

Continental employees at the Gifhorn location will be trained to meet the needs of Stiebel Eltron as well as those of the regional labor market. Stiebel Eltron is planning to set up a stainless steel cylinder production facility for heat pump heating systems at Continental’s location in Gifhorn. With this in mind, Continental and Stiebel Eltron have signed a letter of intent to take over production and functional areas. In July 2023, Continental announced that it would be phasing out its business activities at the location by the end of 2027.

“It remains our firm intention to move as many of our employees as possible from work to work,” said Dr. Ariane Reinhart, Continental Executive Board member for Human Relations and Sustainability. “The training offered through the CITT is an important part of creating opportunities for employees in Gifhorn.”

The agreement with Stiebel Eltron is the first major result of Continental’s “from work to work” initiative, which, through appropriate training, aims to ensure a seamless transition to a new job within Continental or on the external job market for employees. To achieve this, Continental is currently in talks with several companies.

Christiane Benner, Second Chairperson of IG Metall and Vice Chairperson of Continental’s Supervisory Board: “Training, qualification and future prospects in local regions are a key issue for us as a labor union. That’s why we’ve worked hard to show employees in Gifhorn that transformation through training is a real opportunity. We are laying the foundation for this with the CITT.”

Needs-based training since 2019

Continental launched a comprehensive training initiative for the transformation of jobs in 2018. A key part of the initiative is the CITT, established in 2019 to strengthen the employability of individual employees. The training measures are geared to future-oriented professions. 8,500 participants had been trained there by the end of 2022. By the end of 2023, they will number 9,500. Through the CITT, employees have the opportunity to retrain for the internal and external job market at full pay. Unskilled and semi-skilled employees can, for example, complete a further training course certified by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce with the option of obtaining a full professional qualification.

Media Contacts:

Marc Siedler
Spokesperson, Business & Finance
+49 511 938-1278
marc.siedler@conti.de
@SiedlerMarc

Vincent Charles
Head of Media Relations
+49 511 938
vincent.charles@conti.de
@_VCharles

SOURCE: Continental AG