In the hall of the SEV Technical Academy on Liosion Street, there were no television cameras or deafening applause. There were seven young people holding the very first certificate of their lives. For most of us, such a piece of paper seems almost a given. But for those who arrived in Greece from Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria, and other countries across the globe, having left behind war, poverty, or forced displacement, it was the first tangible proof that they could plan their future. That morning in early July, the seven graduates didn’t just receive a technical training certificate. They gained something much more substantial: a real opportunity to secure a position in the Greek labor market and, with it, a sense of stability and perspective. This is exactly what the CAFF Work powered by Viohalco program aims for, being one of the most significant initiatives of the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation.
The emotion of the ceremony did not come from the speeches or the somewhat familiar graduation etiquette. It stemmed from the personal journeys of the people in the room. Young individuals who arrived alone in an unfamiliar country, often without family, without a support network, and, in several cases, without prior access to education. For most of them, this was the first official certificate they had ever obtained in their lives. And with it came, perhaps for the first time, the feeling that they are not simply in Greece, but that they can truly live and create in our country. This is why perhaps the greatest asset the CAFF Work powered by Viohalco program provides them with is, first and foremost, a framework of support. The feeling that they belong.
This is something also observed by the instructors of the SEV Technical Academy program. They speak of the immense change they see in the behavior of the refugees and migrants who participated in and completed the program. At first, they faced closed-off, fearful, quiet, and perhaps suspicious people, as they recall. Now, after their training, they are open, sociable, and have the courage to speak our language, even if they cannot express themselves fluently. Like Mohammed, for example, a 20-year-old who came to our country from Somalia in November 2024 and had to do various odd jobs to make a living. He stood up without a paper in his hands. His Greek was still hesitant, but he didn’t need to speak much for one to understand what that moment meant to him. A few months earlier, he was doing odd jobs just to survive. That July morning, he stood before the rest of the CAFF Work powered by Viohalco graduates holding the first vocational training certificate of his life. For a young man who left Somalia behind, it wasn’t just a diploma. It was the first open door to the future.
If technical training is one pillar of the CAFF Work powered by Viohalco program, the other is the cultivation of so-called “soft skills” among the migrants and refugees who attend it. The deep and genuine sense of humanity inherent in this journey—which they began months ago under the CAFF Work powered by Viohalco umbrella—was vividly reflected in the short yet meaningful speeches addressed to the graduates by the representatives of the Viohalco companies. They chose to speak not with stiff and sterile corporate jargon, but, as they said, as mothers and wives.
Bridging a Structural Gap in the Labor Market
It is exactly this human, non-corporate approach that acts as a bridge between two seemingly disconnected worlds. The harsh reality of the domestic economy comes to “lock in” with this equation of survival and the pursuit of human dignity. For years, the Greek industrial and manufacturing landscape has faced a structural, almost existential contradiction: on the one hand, there is a constant and alarming difficulty in finding specialized technicians. Industries are looking for personnel, and production lines are “thirsty” for a workforce. On the other hand, a significant percentage of young people—especially those from vulnerable social groups—remain trapped on the margins of unemployment.
The Antetokounmpo family Foundation is stepping in to solve this contradiction in practice through the CAFF Work powered by Viohalco program, attempting something much harder than an act of solidarity: turning support into true autonomy. The Antetokounmpo family knows very well what it means to have a door opened for you when all others seem hermetically sealed. Basketball was their vehicle for overcoming obstacles; however, the Foundation’s philosophy is rooted in a broader acknowledgment: for the vast majority of young people, the vehicle that changes their destiny is not championship sports, but steady, dignified work.
When Employers Design the Workforce of Tomorrow
The defining difference of CAFF Work powered by Viohalco lies in the fact that it is not just another theoretical training program that ends with awarding a certificate meant to be thrown in a drawer. Instead, the planning is done in reverse: it starts directly from the needs of the market. Through strategic partnerships with Viohalco companies—one of the strongest pillars of Greek industry—the program focuses on industrial production and manufacturing. It is worth noting that Viohalco companies, as key supporters of the program, do not merely offer jobs, but real opportunities for professional integration and advancement.
Participants receive targeted technical training from the SEV Technical Academy and are prepared for professional opportunities that correspond to real, open job positions. The results of the program speak for themselves: even before the graduation ceremony was over, two participants of the current cycle had secured full-time positions. “Growing up, we saw how hard it can be when people have the will to work but don’t have access to an opportunity,” the Antetokounmpo family characteristically states. “CAFF Work powered by Viohalco was created exactly to help remove some of these barriers. We are grateful to the Viohalco companies for their invaluable contribution in sharing our vision, and we hope to see this program continue to grow with more partners, reaching more sectors.”
From Theory to Practice: The Voices of the Protagonists
The transition from the margins to the heart of industrial production is a process that primarily requires commitment, effort, and resilience. The testimonies of the program’s earlier graduates best illustrate this journey. Ashrat N., a graduate of the first cycle, currently works full-time at the Halcor plant, the copper and alloys extrusion division of ElvalHalcor S.A. As he confesses, the foundation’s name was the catalyst: “Giannis Antetokounmpo’s personal journey, history, and perseverance were an inspiration for me to chase this opportunity.” Today, his daily life is a far cry from the uncertainty of the past. “I learned to work safely, stay alert, function as a team, and understand how to communicate properly with my supervisors,” he notes, making special mention of the program’s parallel activities, such as weekly basketball meet-ups. What does this first job mean to him? “It means a great deal. I am very proud of myself that I am working and continuing to learn.”
Similar is the path of Edphin M., who is now a member of the workforce at Elval, the aluminum rolling division of ElvalHalcor S.A. His goal from the start was clear: “I wanted to learn and become part of a professional environment.” His training opened up an entirely new world of technical knowledge. “A year ago, I had absolutely no knowledge of crane operation,” he points out. Today, he describes his daily routine at work as “enjoyable,” and his advice to other young people who might hesitate in the face of the unknown is disarming: “I would tell them not to wait, because success is achievable thanks to CAFF. It has created a great pathway for anyone seeking knowledge. Let them come and be trained. Learning, after all, has no age limit.”
An Ecosystem of Synergies for the Day After
The success of CAFF Work powered by Viohalco requires the partnership of a broader network of organizations that understand the importance of social synergy. The program’s comprehensive approach is ensured through the valuable contribution of partners such as Eurohoops, the Bioiatriki Healthcare Group, the Non-Profit Organization “Desmos” for sourcing participants, the Non-Governmental Organization METAdrasi for Greek language lessons, and the Saffron Kitchen Project for warm meals. Equally crucial in spreading the message is its communicative outreach. In this direction, Alter Ego Media, acting as the communication sponsor of the initiative, serves as a catalyst. Through its network, it doesn’t simply promote a commendable action, but places the urgent need for equal opportunities in work and education, the fight against social exclusion, and the need for Greek companies to invest in human capital with terms of substantial inclusion, at the center of the public dialogue.
The Foundation’s vision, however, does not stop at the gates of the industry. The strategic plan for the future includes expanding the successful model and implementing it on a larger scale, with the ambition of building new, strong partnerships. Sectors such as hospitality, retail, and sports are already on the radar, aiming to create multiple employment “pathways” that will answer real market needs.
At the end of the day, what remains in the SEV Technical Academy building after the graduation applause fades is not just the acquisition of a diploma. It is the practical answer to structural inequalities. It is the proof that when industry, civil society, and the media synchronize their steps, marginalization is turned into productivity. Even for the Antetokounmpos, a family that once waited for their own opportunity, the greatest victory might not be measured in points, titles, or awards. Rather, it is measured in the number of people who can say today that they belong.
