Today we’re at the Winter Workshop in Thessaloniki with our partners in Greece, Communitere. The workshop is a week and a half long event designed to build relationships between the local Greek community and refugees. It’s all about learning something new – about forging new relationships, and building new bridges.
CAD/CAM – Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing – machines are changing the way manufacturing and design is done. They’re faster and more precise, but still need a real person to operate them.
So on Day 26, we set out to teach some new vocational skills! Together with Communitere, we’re giving a training to teach refugees how to work with CAD/CAM machines.
“The market for skilled designers and operators is one that has not yet been saturated in Thessaloniki,” said one of the workshop teachers, “especially since a large number of skilled personnel has moved abroad during the financial crisis.”
“It is difficult, but it’s interesting,” said one of the participants. “I can understand more now.”
This is an exciting start to what just might grow into a career for some of the participants.
They’re now equipped with enhanced computer skills, something very practical that will help to lift them up and plug them in to a growing market in Greece.
