Description
Check.work supports the recognition of professional experience and potential of migrants through work placements and counselling.
Beneficiaries
Open to those refugees and people with migration background who:
- Already have professional experience (check.work Module 1: Practice)
- Or show potential in occupational skills (Module 2: Potential)
The project was at first initiated and developed in response to the influx of refugees in 2015/16, as new and efficient tools were needed to handle the large number of newcomers to Germany. As the programme deemed to be successful is was extended to other migrant groups.
Countries
Date of creation of toolkit and periodicity of updates
The project was developed in 2016 and introduced in practice in 2017. Already several updates have been made.
Approx. annual updates
Purpose of the toolkit
The purpose of the toolkit is to support refugees and other migrants with their first steps in the German labour market.
It also aims to support supervisors in the placement of refugees for further integration measures.
The goal is to support participants’ integration into the labour market the best possible way based on their individual strengths and talents.
Description of each of the tools
Module 1: Practice captures work experience through a set of easily understandable images and selected specialised questions from basic vocational education.
It can be completed in five languages: German, English, French, Farsi, and Arabic.
Module 2: Potential
The module helps to identify professional strengths and potential of refugees.
The module is offered in simplified German and thus can be used by people with lower level of German knowledge (B1).
Type of guidance given to users
The set-up of check.work is user friendly and intercultural thus can be easily used in the integration process.
The online application form can be used alone but participants can also be accompanied by a supervisor (approx. 5-15 participants per supervisor). For example, in the computer room of educational centres. In addition, supervisors are also supported by a manual in their work.
At the end of the programme participants receive:
- an individual job profile (Module 1: "Practice") that validates their professional experience, or
- a competence profile (Module 2: "Potential") that shows their individual strengths.
Both profiles also provide suggestions for orientation in the German labour market. Refugees can use their job profile and competence profile for counselling sessions or enclose these documents if they wish to apply for an internship or apprenticeship.
The profiles are certified by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry which promotes the acceptance of the documents by potential employers.
Source of information of the different tools
Check.work was developed by Meramo Verlag GmbH in Nürnberg (https://meramo.de)
The content of the tests in Module 2 Potential were developed by IKOBE Institute for Competence and Talent GmbH (http://www.ikobe.de).
The project was realised by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Munich and Upper Bavaria commissioned by the Bavarian Chamber of Commerce, funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology (StMWi) and supported by the Regional Directorate of Bavaria of the Federal Employment Agency, the Bavarian Chambers of Crafts as well as several experts, and other political, social and scientific partners. For a detailed overview of all project partners please visit: https://check.work/partner/
The project was intensively tested in the development phase involving more than 500 refugees from the target group
Link/s to the toolkit and further information
Downloads
Check.work project website
