FAFO - Fast Forward Fachkräfte 4.0

Our main objective was to showcase the innovative ÖJAB Competence Center model from Austria as a best practice example for assessing and validating the skills of immigrants. We wanted to make this...

Our main objective was to showcase the innovative ÖJAB Competence Center model from Austria as a best practice example for assessing and validating the skills of immigrants. We wanted to make this alternative approach known to a wider European audience of adult educators, policymakers and HR managers. By sharing the success story of the ÖJAB model, we aimed to stimulate a discourse on creative solutions to address the shortage of skilled workers in Europe. The project sought to provide impulses for rethinking current, often cumbersome procedures for recognizing foreign qualifications. Our goal was to inspire similar initiatives in other European countries to leverage the untapped potential of skilled immigrants and enable their faster integration into the labor market. Ultimately, we hoped the project would contribute to reducing skills mismatches and strengthening the European workforce.

The main activities we implemented in the FAFO project were: 1. Theoretical analysis and classification of the ÖJAB competence center approach within existing EU competency frameworks, to provide a solid foundation for showcasing the model. 2. Production of diverse content (videos, text, graphics) to present the central findings of the competency analysis in an engaging way and record interviews with ÖJAB about their innovative model. 3. Preparation and pre-production of all content needed for a 4-week online happening event on EPALE in fall 2023, including a detailed storyboard, content sequencing, and activation measures. 4. Conducting a 4-week storytelling campaign on EPALE, releasing the produced content in an interactive format with different multimedia content. 5. Evaluation of the event's reach and impact, and ensuring the sustainability of the results by keeping the content available on EPALE for further reference after the project end.

1. A comprehensive theoretical analysis classifying the innovative ÖJAB competence center approach within existing EU competency frameworks. 2. Diverse engaging content (videos, text, graphics) presenting the key findings of the competency analysis and interviews with ÖJAB about their model. This multimedia storytelling approach makes the complex topic accessible. 3. A well-prepared 4-week online happening event on EPALE in fall 2023, including a detailed storyboard, content sequencing, and activation measures. While active participation was limited, the high quality content reached a wider audience beyond the boundaries of EPALE and also appeared on Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest. 4. Continued availability of the project results on EPALE for further reference and discourse stimulation after the project end, contributing to the project's sustainable impact. 5. Informal discussions and knowledge sharing about the ÖJAB model in our professional networks, even if people did not actively participate in the EPALE event. This helps to slowly shift the debate on skills recognition for immigrants in a progressive direction. 6. All results freely accessible: www.fitskilling.com (in German) or www.fitskilling.eu (in English)