Continental opens training centre in Gifhorn, Germany 

Continental has opened its own training center for employees in Gifhorn. It is the 13th training location the company has set up across Germany since launching its CITT training institute (Continental Institute for Technology and Transformation) in 2019. The opening ceremony on September 25, 2023, was attended, among others, by labour minister Hubertus Heil and the Second Chairperson of IG Metall, Christiane Benner. 

Hubertus Heil (SPD), Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs said: “The world of work is changing rapidly as a result of technological and social developments. This requires bold and responsible action from everyone involved. Continental’s ‘from work to work’ initiative is a prime example of how a socially fair transformation can be shaped with courage and drive. Here in Gifhorn, the employees of today are being equipped for the work of tomorrow. This will safeguard local jobs and industry, which I’m happy about not only as Minister of Labour, but as a member of the Bundestag with a close connection to the region.” 

Continental employees at the Gifhorn location will be trained to meet the needs of Stiebel Eltron as well as those of the regional labour market. Stiebel Eltron is planning to set up a stainless-steel cylinder production facility for heat pump heating systems at Continental’s location in Gifhorn. With this in mind, Continental and Stiebel Eltron have signed a letter of intent to take over production and functional areas. In July 2023, Continental announced that it would be phasing out its business activities at the location by the end of 2027.  

“It remains our firm intention to move as many of our employees as possible from work to work,” said Dr. Ariane Reinhart, Continental Executive Board member for Human Relations and Sustainability. “The training offered through the CITT is an important part of creating opportunities for employees in Gifhorn.” 

The agreement with Stiebel Eltron is the first major result of Continental’s “from work to work” initiative, which, through appropriate training, aims to ensure a seamless transition to a new job within Continental or on the external job market for employees. To achieve this, Continental is currently in talks with several companies. 

Christiane Benner, Second Chairperson of IG Metall and Vice Chairperson of Continental’s Supervisory Board: “Training, qualification and future prospects in local regions are a key issue for us as a labour union. That’s why we’ve worked hard to show employees in Gifhorn that transformation through training is a real opportunity. We are laying the foundation for this with the CITT.”