DGAP-News

German Chancellor Merkel visits the ReDI School of Digital Integration

DGAP-News: Klöckner & Co SE / Key word(s): Miscellaneous German Chancellor Merkel visits the ReDI School of Digital Integration 25.04.2017 / 17:58 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. German Chancellor Merkel visits the ReDI School of Digital Integration

Duisburg/Berlin, April 25, 2017 - Today, German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel visited the ReDI School of Digital Integration's new venue on the premises of kloeckner.i, the Klöckner & Co digital unit in Berlin.

The Chancellor hoped to use the meeting to gain a better understanding of the ReDI School's work. Tuition is free at the non-profit school, where refugees learn to code or hone their existing programming skills. Courses are taught by volunteers employed as developers or programmers in IT companies and startups. In addition, the ReDI School helps its graduates find their first job or relaunch their careers through a network of interested companies and startups. The school is backed by corporate partners such as its main sponsor, Klöckner & Co.

During her visit, Chancellor Merkel was given a compelling insight into how the highly motivated refugees learn cutting-edge programming languages and techniques, which projects have already been successfully implemented and which new goals they are pursuing. Refugees already successfully placed with companies also joined with their new employers and colleagues in describing to the Chancellor their day-to-day experiences on the job and engaged in discussion with her.

In addition to expressing her sincere gratitude for the initiative, Federal Chancellor Merkel emphasized that no effort should be spared in bringing refugees into contact with the various social avenues. "This is where the ReDI School has a very great deal to offer," said Chancellor Merkel.


ReDI co-founder and managing director Anne Kjaer Riechert is very pleased that her idea has taken off. "Right from the outset, it was important to us that we harness refugees' potential specifically in a field critical to the future of communications in our economy and society - and that future lies in programming languages. To that end, we cooperate closely with businesses. That our first graduates have already taken up permanent positions at companies such as kloeckner.i is the ultimate reward for our efforts. The ReDI team was profoundly inspired by Chancellor Merkel's visit, which is an added incentive for us to continue growing."