But after spending more than two decades building a career at the factory, Mr. Karaca, a 49-year-old father of three, learned that Continental planned to close the plant by 2027. Facing a daunting job hunt, he will head back to school to earn his trade certificate, courtesy of his employer. It’s a necessary step if he wants to find a job in Germany, where despite a desperate lack of skilled workers, degrees and certification still count more than on-the-job experience. “I never needed it until now, because I was always here,” Mr. Karaca said. The training program that Mr. Karaca and 80 of his co-workers will undergo is part of an initiative started by Continental aimed at helping employees acquire the skills they need for new jobs, either within Continental or at companies nearby.

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Persons: Emrullah Karaca, Karaca, “, ” Mr Organizations: Continental Locations: Gifhorn, Germany, It’s