10.8.2010
The Integration Centre, in collaboration with the EU READI project, is helping to promote employment in Ireland through a series of workshops and the production of manuals which assist immigrants in the job market.
Immigrant workers have experienced a 30% decrease in employment in comparison to the 9% decrease experienced by Irish nationals. Research conducted by The Integration Centre revealed a gap between services provided and those needed by immigrants to enable them to be successful in the Irish labour market.
READI – Recognition, Employment, Appreciation, Diversity Management and Integration for Immigrants — is a European project co-financed under the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals implemented in Italy, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and the UK. It is an action research project that addresses the difficulties faced by skilled job-seeking immigrants because of the lack of recognition of qualifications earned outside of these countries, in addition to other factors that can impede employment such as discrimination and the lack of information on the part of employers.
This project involved the development of three tools aimed at employers, job seekers and employment agencies: a Diversity Management Manual that provides employers with information about diversity management in general as well as issues that specifically relate to the employment of third-country nationals in Europe; A Guide to Self-Presentation in the Labour Market that offers immigrant employment seekers information and advice about seeking employment in Ireland; and A Guide to the Creation of the Portfolio of Achievement, which provides job seekers and employment agencies with an alternative means for assessing and presenting their skills and qualifications.
Peter Szlovak, Employment Officer with The Integration Centre said “The project provided a unique opportunity for recording the views and experience of key stakeholders in the sphere of employment; immigrants, service providers and employers. This dialogue led to the production of manuals and training sessions. Importantly, a particular group was focused on among unemployed people because their needs were not being met by state-funded services, which are dealing with an increasing number of jobseekers.”
He went on to say “There were 10 work-shops conducted around Ireland. These workshops piloted the manuals and being interactive they provided an excellent opportunity to discuss key issues such as the importance for immigrant job seekers to be able to interpret job descriptions and write relevant CV’s and cover letters; to address difficulties with getting references and interpreting foreign qualifications in an Irish context; and to be able to prepare for interviews and be aware of cultural differences that may affect communication. Many immigrants found that state funded services did not have the time to deal with these issues.”
Dil Wickremasinghe, Presenter of Global Village on Newstalk, also delivered key trainings as part of the project and said “I was privileged to impart my knowledge both as an immigrant and as a former recruitment consultant with the hope that participants could avoid pitfalls in the job seeking process. Harsh economic times have resulted in a highly competitive job market. In order to succeed, immigrants must be aware of communication norms and recruitment etiquette expected from candidates in Ireland when presenting their skills and experience. A core message I conveyed while working on this project was that job seekers must maintain their confidence and look after their mental health despite the setbacks they encounter. This is not easy.”
Vanja Stenius, one of the Project Coordinators stated “We enjoyed leading the collaboration of this diverse group of organisations from the various EU states. They each brought commitment and their particular expertise to the project. We believe the output will benefit the target groups in all the participating countries.”
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Contact: Helena Clarke, Communications and Media Executive, on 01 6453082/6453070; helena.clarke@integrationcentre.ie; www.integrationcentre.ie http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/The-Integration-Centre/133769843300173?ref=sgm
Editor’s note
The Integration Centre is committed to the integration and inclusion of people from immigrant backgrounds in Ireland. The Centre specializes in planning, monitoring and advocacy at city, local, national and international levels and provides regionalized information, advice and training services. The Centre conducts evidence-based research to influence positive changes in legislation, policy and practice and proactively engage with all sectors of society to achieve this. We have more than 250 affiliated organisations as part of our national network.