Units Resende and Barra Mansa of Votorantim Siderurgia (steel) formed in August 123 youths in the project Futuro em Nossas Mãos (Future in Our Hands). The program is a partnership between the Votorantim Siderurgia (steel), Instituto Votorantim, the NGO GAIA and SENAI and aims to enable low-income youth and prepare them for the labor market.

The courses offered were Basics of Welding, Industrial Maintenance Mechanics and Materials Management and Integrated Logistics. The selection, which occurred earlier this year, gathered more than 600 candidates. Those who passed the selection process, in addition to the training, received bus tickets, food and monthly allowance at the beginning and end of the course, which occurred between March and July.

According to general manager of the industrial unit Resende, Alberto Cunha, the program seeks to give them the tools, with each one using them for themselves, family and community. "By sponsoring such initiatives we are, at first, taking these people off the streets, giving them a hands-on training full-time and finally the whole orientation to insert them into the labor market," he said. He also notes that more than 70% of last year students are employed.

The profile of the students is young unemployed or enrolled in informal jobs, between 18 and 29 years old, attending at least the eighth grade of elementary school. Now the curricula of all participating will be sent to potential contractors in the region.