Due to the ongoing refugee crisis, it’s crucial to integrate refugees into our societies. The construction industry faces a labour shortage, so it presents a unique opportunity for integration. Our partnership is dedicated to creating resources and tools to support refugees entering the construction labour market. Our goal is to find practical solutions to the challenges faced by both refugees and the industry.
We are producing innovative tools to address the integration of refugees and tools for those interested in entering this labour market. First, there’s our Starter Kit which equips VET directors, trainers, educators, and support staff with the skills needed to guide refugees into rewarding work in the construction sector. The Starter Kit will enable VET organizations to contribute more fully to refugee integration. Our second resource is the Good Practice Compendium. It will educate employers in the construction industry on how to create a welcoming work environment for refugees. We cover “hard” topics, such as refugees’ rights, legal frameworks, and skills evaluation. Furthermore, we have “soft” topics such as linguistic support and cultural assimilation. This comprehensive resource will help employers better understand and support their refugee workforce. Last, we have our Mobile Training Programme. It is designed to assist accessibility and flexibility of VET training provision for hard-to-reach and foreign-born learners, specifically Ukrainian refugees. This programme aims to facilitate the integration of refugees by providing the necessary training and education to succeed in the construction sector.