The Social Day brought together the junior staff of KÖTTER Services with about 70 elementary school students from the Kraienbruch School in Essen, Germany. Together with the team of the foundation muTiger  (www.mutiger.de) – a joint initiative of the KÖTTER Group and the Transport Association Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) – the trainees introduced self-assertion and self-confidence training with the children. It is not only the kids who benefit: "Volunteering for a charitable purpose strengthens social skills and a sense of responsibility," explains Volker Hofmann, representative and head of human resources at KÖTTER. "These soft skills are very valuable for our trainees for their personal development, but at the same time they advance them professionally –  especially in the service industry." 

At the same time, the KÖTTER Group once again took part in the “TalentDays Ruhr” 2019. Around 200  initiatives, schools, universities, companies, chambers, associations and municipalities exhibited at more than 240 events to promote and find young talents. As part of the initiative,  around 20 KÖTTER trainees had the opportunity to get fit in terms of soft skills and civil courage. In doing so, the participants learned about practical behavior in dangerous situations and how they can help others without being endangered themselves. Important effect: "The  courses encourage young people to build on teamwork, take responsibility for themselves and for others," highlights Volker Hofmann.

The activities of KÖTTER Group are very much in line with the findings of the Anticipate Change Project of CoESS and UNI Europa, which identifies, among others, labour shortages and the need of soft skills for the future workforce as key challenges for the private security industry across Europe. More about the project can be found here.