The refugees make us a more innovative company

In recent years, we have had 12 refugees working for us - which has had an exclusively positive effect.

- Having refugees here gives us a completely different perspective. We get a more innovative environment. No matter how good you are, you are challenged to learn things further through both language and cultural barriers, says Adis Cengic, factory manager at NTP.

Many of the employees have to go by themselves to find creative ways to communicate. There is a need for both oral, bodily and visual language.

It is about becoming more aware of how to learn things, and ensuring that the training is perceived correctly. This increases the quality of the whole process. At NTP, we believe that diversity is important in the workplace, as it helps us grow in the right direction.

COLLABORATION WITH NAV

Avery Dennison NTP offers refugees language practice through a collaboration with NAV and Luster municipality. During a week, the refugees are two days at work and three days at school. This runs over three months, a program NTP has been a part of since 2012.

- As of today, we have six refugees. We always try to have two of them at work at the same time. Then we get continuity in the work and the school gets relief, Cengic explains.

Tore Thorsnes, director of NAV Sogn og Fjordane, emphasizes how important it is for refugees to get language practice in companies.

- There is no point in learning a language in a classroom. We've tried that. We must do this in other ways, including language practice in companies. Thus, we are completely dependent on companies making themselves available, as NTP does, Thorsnes said on NRK's morning mood on 6 June.

NICE TO CONTRIBUTE

Since 2012, NTP has had 12 refugees at work. Most come as part of the language practice, some as call-up substitutes. For us, it is good to have more on-call substitutes and extra helpers, especially in the high season.

- We have a need for the labor the refugees can offer, Cengic points out.

NTP facilitates work tasks for refugees without extensive Norwegian skills. They work mainly with packaging and quality control in a separate department that is designed to be easier to communicate, without too much noise from machines and the like.

- Everyone receives follow-up from our employees. And those who do a good job are offered on-call substitutes, extra shifts and permanent positions when we have the need. I think this is a scheme that increases integration in the local community. The feedback we get is good, says Cengic.