The Hg Foundation, a grant-giving charity focused on removing barriers to education and skills in technology, is pleased to announce its latest partnership in Germany with ReDI School of Digital Integration, a non-profit tech school for refugees, migrants and marginalised locals without access to digital education. 

Currently, only 20% of refugees secure a job in Germany after two years of arriving in the country. ReDI is working to help accelerate integration into the job market by providing participants with digital skills and soft skills, working alongside a network of tech leaders, students and alumni to help identify employment and training opportunities. Part of ReDI’s work focuses on  increasing the number of female workers in the tech industry, in recognition that only 17% of the current IT workforce in Germany are female.

The Hg Foundation’s €500k grant will support the growth of ReDI’s Digital Career Programme in Hamburg, which has seen demand quadruple since its launch in 2022. The funding will help to reach 750 individuals over the next three years, focusing on providing high-end tech skills through a variety of training courses which are tailored to different levels of ability. The grant will also enable ReDI to launch four new tech courses within the existing provision, as well as run an annual summer school for women, helping them to gain hands-on project experience to expand their tech project portfolios.

Anne Kjaer Bathel, CEO of ReDI School said: "In these times of great uncertainty, complex challenges and rapid change, I find hope in witnessing the powerful impact that collaboration can have on the lives of marginalized people. I am deeply grateful that The Hg Foundation is partnering with ReDI School to empower refugees and migrants, providing them with access to tech education and pathways to secure future employment."

Andrea Rodriguez, Local Head - at ReDI School Hamburg said: “The partnership with The Hg Foundation allows us to further our commitment to diversity in tech education and support underrepresented communities in Hamburg. By enhancing career prospects and promoting a more inclusive environment, this represents a significant milestone towards creating a tech workforce that truly mirrors the diverse world we live in.”

Daniel Kosz, Associate at Hg said: “ReDI’s brilliant work has already positively shaped the lives of thousands of individuals from marginalised backgrounds across Europe. We are delighted to be partnering with ReDI to help grow their work in Hamburg, providing new and in-demand tech skills to people who would otherwise find it hard to access such training. Besides funding, we hope to bring Hg’s networks in the tech sector into this partnership and ultimately open up high quality careers in tech to more refugees, migrants and marginalised locals.”     

About The Hg Foundation:

The Hg Foundation’s vision is that the tech workforce of the future harnesses the talents of all, regardless of background.  It does this by supporting education and employment-based programmes across the UK, USA and Europe where it can demonstrate measurable, long-term and scalable impact and make a difference to those that need it most.  To date it has committed $30m to programmes that will reach over 50,000 young people and adults from under-represented backgrounds. The Foundation’s work is solely funded by Hg – a leading investor in European and transatlantic software and services businesses. The Hg Foundation is registered Charity no. 1189216.

Find out more at https://www.thehgfoundation.com/

About ReDI School of Digital Integration:

ReDI School of Digital Integration is a non-profit tech school for refugees, migrants, and marginalised locals, working to digitally upskill participants to accelerate their job market integration. It operates 8 schools in multiple locations, including Germany (Berlin, Munich, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg), Denmark (Copenhagen, Aarhus), Sweden (Malmö), and online. Since 2016, ReDI has supported ~21,000 participants across its three core programmes: Digital Career Programme (adults), Digital Women Programme (adults), and the Kids, Teens & Youth Programmes (age: 9 – 18).

Find out more at: https://www.redi-school.org/