On 29 and 30 November, IOM, together with project partners, hosted the Skills2Work Project’s closing event in Brussels.

The Skills2Work closing event was attended by over 70 guests from various organizations based in the nine participating Member States. Guests represented migrant support organizations, refugees, the private sector, the European Commission, local municipalities, women’s empowerment organizations, government representatives, academic institutions, and start-ups.

Guests shared their good practices, unique perspectives, challenges, and ideas regarding the integration process with the audience through presentations and a ‘market place’ networking event. A common theme throughout the event was the particular importance of early labour market participation as a part of successful integration. Laurent Aujean from the European Commission (DG HOME AFFAIRS), supported this theme as he outlined ways in which refugees can document their skills and qualifications during the asylum stage. As a practical example, Dennis van Gessel, also from the European Commission (DG Employment) gave an insight to the new EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals, which IOM is piloting in a number of member states.

A range of insights were provided through a panel discussion featuring employers, refugees, and a representative from the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. Guests furthermore enjoyed an inspiring presentation from the Refugee Company, a Dutch NGO that facilitates employment opportunities for newcomers upon arrival. The event also saw the official launch of the Skills2Work promotional film and the success stories booklet, which highlight the perceptions of employers and refugees in European labour markets. See below for further information about the film and booklet.

The Skills2Work project was launched in January 2016, and will conclude at the end of February 2018.