Including Immigrants in Working Life

Telenor Open Mind Integration is a programme for recruiting immigrants from outside Europe to job training in Telenor. The objective of the programme is to give the participants the opportunity to get valuable experience that will strengthen their chances to gain access to working life, through relevant work practice and training.

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The Telenor Open Mind Integration Programme

  • admits candidates once a year
  • seeks candidates with diverse educational backgrounds
  • requires three years of higher education
  • candidates must be able to communicate on an informal level in Norwegian
  • is completed at Telenor’s headquarters at Fornebu, Norway

Many people with immigrant backgrounds meet closed doors when looking for jobs, experiencing prejudice and discrimination. Telenor thinks a healthy company mirrors the plurality in the job market. Telenor Open Mind Integration Programme offers immigrants job training, making it easier to gain access to the job market.

Improving inclusion in working life of immigrants who have problems gaining a foothold in the employment market , and getting valuable international experiences and competence in return, makes this a win-win situation for employers, participants and society as a whole.

Training and work experience

The Open Mind Integration programme consists of an initial period of two months with computer training and coaching courses. After this, participants spend 10 months working for Telenor. The job training is adjusted to the candidates’ educational background, competence and work experiences.

Who can apply?

The programme welcomes applications from non-European immigrants. The candidates are required three years of higher education. Potential candidates can apply through Nav Intro Oslo in Norway. Admissions to the programme take place once a year during autumn.

What are the benefits?

All parties benefit from the programme:

  • The participants gain work experience and a chance to prove themselves
  • Telenor acquires motivated and qualified employees
  • Society benefits from having a larger tax-paying population

“Telenor Open Mind is not about charity, but about adding value to the company,” says President and CEO of Telenor, Jon Fredrik Baksaas.

A model used by other companies

Telenor Open Mind is Norway’s largest work training programme integrating people with different work disabilities and immigrants outside Europe in regular working life (“Supported Employment ”). The programme has received several awards for its efforts to bring people with different challenges in work life into permanent employment and has generated interest outside Telenor as well. Open Mind is already exchanging expertise and manpower with outside companies and are happy to give advices for companies who wish to start similar programmes.