A new, free app called Workeen was launched in Italy on the occasion of World Refugee Day. It is to help migrants, refugees and asylum seekers find work through a "serious game."
A new smartphone app called Workeen aims to help refugees, asylum seekers and migrants to orient themselves in the European labor market. The makers of the app claim it can understand the bureaucracy and prepare for a job interview.
On the free app, which was launched on Google Play on the occasion of World Refugee Day, the training takes place in the form of a so-called serious game. This genre of games are designed for a purpose other than pure entertainment.
According to its developers, the app originated from the European research project Horizon 2020 SIRIUS ("Skills and Integration of Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Applicants in European Labour Markets"), coordinated by the University of Parma Department of Economic and Business Sciences with Professor Simone Baglioni.
Interactive training
The app is one of the first apps to offer interactive training that helps migrants who have recently arrived in Europe to find work and keep it. European citizens looking for their first job can also use the app.
Workeen is part of the "serious game" genre, created by a team of social science researchers and engineers from seven European countries and Canada. It provides tutorials and training in soft skills for those entering the labor market.
Workeen guides job seekers through two game levels, the first related to job searching and the second on integration in the workplace. It provides information on how to look for a job and how to adapt to a new work environment through training in soft skills considered essential by employers, such as workplace etiquette.
Two levels
Workeen has two game levels. The first helps migrants navigate through the bureaucratic and administrative procedures necessary for receiving a job offer. The app provides a checklist of required documents for job seeking in the host country, including ID card, language certification, work experience certification and previous education.
The second level is to help the player become familiar with the social context of the new country and a new professional position, in order to avoid problematic or embarrassing situations. The second level also helps make new workers aware of their rights and prepares them to reject potential attempts at abuse or exploitation.
Generally speaking, Workeen provides players training on questions such as workplace behavior, legal aspects, communication, dress code and working standards. It creates scenarios that help players manage themselves in various situations, from simple misunderstandings to stalking or abuse.
The app is available in Italian, English, Arabic and Farsi as well as other European languages (Czech, Danish, Finnish, French and Greek).
