Project news
Edit 25 May 2018
DevelopMe_: Preparing refugees for IT industry of today and tomorrow
An important key element of the CORE project is to support a quick integration into the labour market. Therefore, various activities are being realized for different target groups. Besides refugee teachers, potential entrepreneurs are being trained and prepared for their professional lives in Austria. Recently, a special training programme for freelancers was successfully finished. In an official event with Renate Brauner, Executive City Councillor of Finance, Economic and International Affairs, the participants of this programme received their certificates.
The job market is moving faster than ever before, and especially in the IT industry permanent employment is increasingly declining. More and more companies are passing the risk on to freelancers. To prepare refugees for a career in the IT industry, a special programme was developed within the framework of the CORE project. The programme “DevelopMe_”offered by the CORE project partner Vienna Business Agency together with the organization refugees{code} was especially aimed at refugees who want to work independently and self-employed.
The goal of “DevelopMe_” was to give newcomers with an entrepreneurial mindset access to the technical skills they need as freelancer today and in the future. Within a 12 weeks programme, which started at the end of November 2017, the participants acquired the five core digital skills they need to be self-employed in the IT industry: “Web Development”, “Media Making”, “Digital Communication, Collaboration and Cooperation”, “LinkedIn & Personal Branding” and “Security”. The programme
was taught in English and offered 25 hours per week of eCoaching, in-class lessons, expert meetings and team projects.
was taught in English and offered 25 hours per week of eCoaching, in-class lessons, expert meetings and team projects.
For the participants, the goal of the programme was to get connected with likeminded people and to acquire digital skills to realize their own business ideas. Moreover the programme helped them to expand their entrepreneurial mindset as well as their capability of using digital tools for their own business. A lot of questions and topics were discussed within the framework of this programme: How can I create a website with quality results by using common, affordable tools? Which tools can I use in order to promote my own business and turn my ideas into info graphics and videos with professional results? Which digital communication, collaboration & cooperation skills and tools are important for freelancers? How can I increase my value with webinars to promote my services and win customers online? How to use the right social media marketing channels for my business, how to promote my services on LinkedIn, Xing and Co. and how to build up my successful position as a freelancer in the market? Besides discussing these questions, the participants also learned about online security, risks, data protectionism and policy.
The programme met a high interest and more than 60 persons applied. Finally, 12 persons from different countries like Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Iran and Pakistan with backgrounds in Media Marketing and/or Web Development were selected. In the end, 11 participants of this international group finished the programme. “The great demand shows that our programme has struck the right cord. This success motivates us to keep going in this direction – together with our experts. We are happy to continue the programme together with refugees{code}”, concludes Tülay Tuncel, Vienna Business Agency.
Acknowledging the participants’ high motivation and dedication during the programme a certificate ceremony was organized. On March 12, Renate Brauner, Executive City Councillor of Finance, Economic and International Affairs, invited the participants to the city hall, where they received their certificates.
Integration of migrants and refugees
