GFG Foundation Czech Republic launches its first pilot student programme

The partnership between the GFG Foundation Czech Republic, LIBERTY Ostrava and the Electrotechnical High School in Ostrava has taken a significant step forward with the signing of a cooperation agreement. The school, together with LIBERTY Ostrava and the GFG Foundation, will start selecting up to 30 electrical students for a pilot programme, which will start right after the summer holidays.

The focus on electricians is primarily to support LIBERTY Ostrava’s new hybrid electric arc furnace programme, which is e a major part of its ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030. During the study programme, under the supervision of mentors from LIBERTY Ostrava, students will get to learn about industrial production, attend workshops focused on their personal development and various extracurricular activities. The Foundation covers all costs and the study programme costs nothing for the parents or the school.

“Fewer young students are opting for technical education and careers in industrial sectors. The goal of the GFG Foundation is to stop this trend and attract the younger generation to the industry. The GFG Foundation seeks to inspire, empower, and enable young people in industrial communities to reach their life and employment potential. We are delighted to have partnered with Electrotechnical High School in Ostrava to welcome the first class of future electricians onto the GFG Foundation student programme. Investing in our future generations is an integral part of the GFG Foundation, which focuses on educating and supporting young people in the communities in which we have a significant business presence.“

Georgina Crumpton, Global General Manager GFG Foundation

Tomáš Führer, director of the Electrotechnical High School in Ostrava, added: “At the moment, we have agreed on one class with the GFG Foundation, but I believe that the interest will be much greater. It’s a great project in which I see enormous potential and I’m very happy that our long-term cooperation with LIBERTY Ostrava is getting a completely new dimension and impetus.”

Pavel Šedivý, Executive Director of LIBERTY Ostrava, said: “We believe that students should be interested and engaged in the direction that the steel company has taken in recent years. I think we are currently leaders in our industry in the effort to make our planet a cleaner, greener place. Our CN30 strategy is to reduce CO2 emissions per ton of steel by 95% by 2030 thanks to the construction of hybrid electric furnaces and we hope that these young people will help us deliver on that ambition.”

Denisa Sedláčková, responsible for recruiting new employees at LIBERTY Ostrava, said: “From the first to the third year, we will strive to educate students not only in technical and professional skills, but also to develop their interpersonal skills, teamwork and help them prepare for real life.”

A similar programme was launched a year ago in Galati with the support of the GFG Foundation and LIBERTY Galati, with twenty electrical engineering students starting a three-year dual education programme at the city’s Paul Dimo High School.