Telenor Open Mind - a Training Programme for People with Physical Disabilities

Press release
Fornebu
3 minute read
Telenor Open Mind helps people with physical disabilities move into the regular labour market. Through relevant work practice and training they get valuable experience that will strengthen their chances to gain access to working life.

Telenor Open MindTwo years of education and work training

Participants in the Telenor Open Mind programme receive education and work training in data processing, with special focus on user support and network operation. Students are also offered support from the Norwegian employment service Aetat.

The program is divided into:

  • Computer training and courses (3 months)
  • Actual work experience/training (21 months)

75% got a job afterwards

More than 100 participants have so far completed the programme. 75 per cent of these have since obtained a permanent job.

Socio-economic gain: 100 million NOK

In 2006, SINTEF evaluated the programme and concluded that it had been a success, not only for individual users, but also for society at large. Finally companies are discovering that employees with disabilities are a resource and an asset to their working environment. SINTEF has estimated that the net socio-economic gain from the programme amounts to approximately NOK 100 million.

Soon in other Telenor countries

The programme was launched in Norway in 1996 as Telenor's Handicap Programme and changed its name to Telenor Open Mind in 2007. The programme has already been introduced in Sweden, and was introduced in Malaysia 1 November 2007 and in Denmark during 2008. Telenor aims to bring the programme to other countries where Telenor has operations.

Read SINTEF's evaluation of the programme

Read more about the programme under People and Opportunities