The rapid growth of the sustainable manufacturing sector is certainly a plus for the environment, but it can also be good news for frustrated jobseekers.

At 47 years of age, Latife found it difficult to find work or train in a new profession. Supported by the European Social Fund (ESF), the ‘Sustainable Manufacturing' project helped her to escape long-term unemployment and social exclusion. The project found her and 25 other participants work in eco-friendly manufacturing and up-cycling.

The project trains and employs long-term unemployed people while helping the environment, conserving finite resources, and promoting reuse and recycling. It does this by hiring unemployed people in an upcycling workshop, located in the city of Hamburg, where they learn professional skills - reusing discarded items to build sustainable products.

After her involvement in the ESF funded project, Latife said, ‘through the ‘Sustainable Manufacturing’ project, I finally earn my own money after a long period of unemployment.’

Latife and the other participants also took part in social counselling and communication skills training. Fully funded by the project, these services support participants to succeed in their jobs.

After finding employment through the project, Latife said of her newfound job that ‘I take part in working life again and learn a lot every day.’

The project has been such a success that it is going to be continued past its original funding period and will run for a total of eight years.