Leverkusen, October 6, 2015 - The first participants for Bayer's job preparation foundation course for refugees have now been selected. Five young men from Syria, Bangladesh, Eritrea and Guinea signed contracts for the four-month course at Bayer's vocational training center in Leverkusen last Friday. The first course starts on October 26. The refugees, who are aged between 20 and 26, first had to pass written and oral language tests.

'A sound knowledge of German is vital for refugees' job prospects. The main aim of our foundation course is therefore to improve their German so that they can obtain the B2 certificate, demonstrating that they have the language skills required for vocational training,' explains George Müller, Head of HR for Bayer in Germany. The course also includes initial career guidance for the participants and a four-week practical internship at the Chempark in Leverkusen. Throughout the course the participants will be supported by an educational social worker.

An offer for refugees aged between 18 and 26

Further candidates - including young women - will be selected for the twenty places on the first foundation course in the coming days. The foundation course is aimed at refugees aged between 18 and 26 in the Leverkusen area who are interested in vocational training. The prerequisite is a knowledge of German equivalent to level B1. Candidates are required to take a language test to show they have met this requirement. 'We are selecting candidates in collaboration with the various municipal organizations in Leverkusen, but also welcome nominations from other institutions and applications directly from refugees in the local area,' says Dr. Dirk Pfenning of Bayer's HR department, who is responsible for the foundation course. The course is run by Fortbildungsakademie der Wirtschaft (FAW), a certified educational institution.

Following the foundation course, successful participants can apply for the regular Bayer pre-training program, which from now on will reserve a number of places for refugees wishing to receive vocational training. Bayer set up the pre-training program nearly 30 years ago to prepare disadvantaged youngsters for subsequent training in a science/technical profession. It will provide the participating refugees with vocational college lessons and training in applying for employment. More than 80 percent of previous participants on the pre-training program have gone on to start a regular vocational training course.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2014, the Group employed around 119,000 people and had sales of EUR 42.2 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.5 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 3.6 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015.

Find more information atwww.bayer.com .

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