Brightening prospects in hard times: Siemens Colombia integrates people with disabilities
Siemens has been continuously present in the country for more than 50 years with sales offices and production facilities and has acquired a reputation as a reliable and competent partner for infrastructure projects for power generation and distribution, hospital projects and mobility and industrial solutions. With its clearly defined social commitment, the company also provides people with specific, sustainable forms of assistance, and contributes to the alleviation of need and, by means of educational programs, to the creation of equality of opportunity.
From the military to corporate communications
Ivan Cuellar hangs up and makes a few notes. He has just been taking part in an international telephone conference on redesigning the Siemens Internet website of the Region with colleagues from other Central American countries and the communications department in the Munich company headquarters. The 30-year-old Colombian has been working as webmaster in the corporate communications department of the Siemens Regional Company Colombia for four years.
Ivan Cuellar, for many years a member of the Special Forces serving in an anti-guerilla unit of the army, was badly injured in combat and lost an arm. After years in the jungle he is now responsible for the Internet at Siemens and the proud father of two daughters.
Ivan found his way to Siemens by a most unusual route. In April 2005 he came to the company via a pilot project which gave work to former soldiers who were disabled as a result of injury in combat. His workplace, as for the other former members of the army, was adapted to his particular disability. Ivan had served in the Colombian army and had lost his left arm. After rehabilitation he was given an artificial limb. He was the first beneficiary from the pilot project, and after completing his training in programming and web design, he is now a remunerated employee. Four other former soldiers took part in the pilot project together with Ivan, and two have now left the company to successfully embark on other careers.
The project was highly successful, as all five participants were able to be permanently integrated into the company or pursue other career options. Before the end of the year Siemens Colombia is thus planning to turn the pilot project into a permanent program for integrating soldiers injured in combat.
Help for the hearing impaired
Paola Montaño is also disabled and works at Siemens Colombia. She is 20 years old and was born deaf. As a child she learned sign language. Today she works in hearing device manufacture, where she is involved in the individual construction of the hearing device cases. She really wanted to be a graphic designer, but nothing came of this because the government was unable to provide a suitable translator for her at university. Her quality of life in the last two years has, on the other hand, improved dramatically. She came to the attention of a Siemens employee who knew about the support program for the hearing impaired and was enabled to participate in a holiday course which was part of a training program addressed to young students. After this, she was hired on a permanent basis. Following a successful hearing stimulation process, she is now even able to understand what is going on around her with the help of hearing devices.
Paola Montaño, who was born deaf, was able to complete a training program at Siemens and is today a reliable member of the hearing device factory’s workforce.
The support program for hearing impaired employees from which the young Colombian woman benefited was launched by Siemens in the year 2006. Employees and their families are provided with hearing aids at low cost.
Siemens in Colombia
Siemens has been active in Colombia for over 50 years and has manufacturing facilities for transformers, electric motors, fans, medium and low voltage switchgear and hearing devices in the capital Bogotá. With subsidiaries in Medellín, Cali and Barranquilla, Siemens is also present throughout the country. In fiscal 2008, revenue from customers in Colombia totaled €155.9 million. Siemens currently has a workforce of 1,334 in the country. In 2007, Siemens Colombia and its employees jointly founded the non-profit foundation “Fundación Siemens,” which is responsible in Colombia for the implementation of corporate responsibility programs.