Test phase for the labour market

Starting position/challenge

It is difficult for companies who want to employ refugees to assess the qualifications of the applicants. Companies need support in the selection process and are looking for ways to get in contact with the refugees. The accessibility of the labour market is still an issue for refugees. The obstacles they are faced with include potentially a missing formal education, professional qualifications that are not recognised, missing documents of the latter and language barriers, which makes applying all the more difficult. As the implementing organisation of the project “A Question of Attitude”, the educational institution LIFE e.V. has developed a format in the IQ Network Berlin that builds bridges between refugees and companies in order to remove these obstacles.

Implementation of the event format

TASTE the Job is a six-hour event for the professional recruitment of refugees that takes place in different companies. On one hand, companies are given the possibility to get in contact with 15 to 25 refugees, who have been previously taken on by LIFE e.V. in cooperation with employment agencies and job centres, and to assess their suitability. On the other hand, refugees are getting an insight in concrete job requirements by actively getting involved. At the core of the event is the simulation of activities that are typical and realistic for certain professions. These activities are carried out in an easily accessible manner since the lack of German language skills of the participants have to be taken into account. The simulations are specifically tailored to the requirements of the working and educational environments. This being considered, LIFE e.V.  conducts interviews with the responsible persons of the participating companies in advance.

To make the execution of the simulation practice-oriented, professional actors are appointed. Three rounds are run per event and take place in groups with five to eight people simultaneously. They remain at one station for 60 minutes each, then proceed to the next one. During this they are observed by human resources managers of the companies. Following this, the HR managers talk to the interested persons who are suitable for a particular traineeship or job and clarify the next steps for them. The fact that the event includes professions that traditionally appeal to women, that child care is provided during the event and that the implementing organisation cooperates with organisations that work with female refugees, ensure the presence and participation particularly of female refugees.

Conclusion

In 2016 and 2017, the event was held in five companies of different sizes in the care, hotel and restaurant industry as well as a company in event management. Up until now, approximately 110 refugees have participated. In order to accommodate the refugees high individual need for advice regarding applications or places of training and work, the participants are coached by LIFE e.V. after the event. Until now, about 20 participants could be placed into work or traineeships.