RISKREAL aims to provide specific tools for the evaluation and acquisition of psychosocial skills and competences needed in low qualification jobs of some industry sectors such as wind power energy, metallic manufacturing or moulding fabrication, and other similar positions in which psychosocial occupational hazards related with emergency management occur. The provided training complements the current certified technical training to contribute to the employability, health and quality of life of the workers as well as the competitiveness of the companies. The main intellectual outputs that have been developed in the project are: IO1 is a web-based solution for the detection of 12 psychosocial skills or softskills in prospective low-skilled workers in the industry. This tool is formed by two versions: an open and anonymous version for any worker who wants to evaluate him/herself on these softskills and get feedback on how to train them, and a version for companies in which the questionnaires can be customized and the results are shared between the employee and the company to facilitate further training. IO2 is a Toolkit that includes different theoretical modules and open practical resources that support the development of the psychosocial capacity of workers according to the softskills previously assessed with IO1. IO3 is a set of two 3D simulators or serious games specifically designed to train those workers in these psychosocial skills. Employees can play them in 2D screens or in VR environments (e.g., Meta Quest 2 Head Mounted Displays) and in single or collaborative mode. They cover different risk situations, from general situations in a factory to highly procedural ones. The target groups in the project were: 1) individuals in vulnerable groups due to their social, economic, or educational background, workers with low qualification profiles, interested in improving their skills with regards to psychosocial management; 2) private companies looking for workforce, in particular for low qualified profiles, as well as companies providing training for the referred sectors; and 3) human resources professionals, NGO trainers, and psychology professionals. Finally, policy makers and occupational health authorities were involved in the project´s activities to validate and/or disseminate the project outputs. RISKREAL consortium was built upon 7 partners from 4 countries covering the whole chain from work-based training to education innovation and end-users. The University of Burgos (Spain) brought to the project VR technology and education policy experts, with a strong background in international innovation project management; Adventis solutions (Burgos) is a company providing services for renewable industry, including certified training courses; IPPO, is an Italian SME specialized in learning technology and capacitation of workers of different sectors; MECB is an enterprise from Malta providing training services in different contexts and working with a wide network of stakeholders including Chambers of Commerce and Industry; PROTASI ZOIS is a Greek NGO working with individuals in vulnerable groups, improving their resilience and their psychosocial resources; KVELOCE is an SME focused on the area of social policies, accessibility and participatory processes, and specialized in social impact assessment of projects and activities which a broad experience and networks in training; and ISTITUTO DI GESTALT HCC is an SME that helps people to develop personal resources equipping them with diagnostic and psychopathological competences, increasing the well-being of employees and human resources. The aims of RISKREAL required an international and transnational approach to ensure that free labour market in Europe is also aligned with European training certifications for low qualification employees, contributing to an inclusive and balanced development of competence levels in individuals in vulnerable groups, while ensuring the adequate level of innovation and the scientific suitability of the methodologies proposed and developed in RISKREAL project
RISKREAL provides 3 sets of specific tools for the evaluation and acquisition of psychosocial competences needed in low-skilled jobs in some industrial sectors (e.g., wind power energy, metallic manufacturing or moulding fabrication), in which psychosocial occupational hazards related with risky situations take place. The provided training will complement the current certified technical training to contribute to the employability, health and quality of life of workers, as well as the competitiveness of the companies. Therefore, the target groups of the RISKREAL project are people at risk of social, economic or educational exclusion, with low-skilled profiles, interested in improving their psychosocial or softskills competencies. Specifically, these are: empathy, achievement orientation, learning orientation, openness to change, conflict resolution competences, communication skills, problem-solving, adaptability, proactivity, teamwork, time and pressure management. Furthermore, these tools will also be useful for any human resources professionals, NGO trainers, and risk prevention professionals involved in the training and assessment of workers.
RISKREAL responds to the needs of diverse industry sectors to train their staff for specific high-pressure working conditions that require a set of key competences, not only technical but also psychosocial. Professional Training and certified courses for low-qualified workers in several industrial sectors are nowadays focussed in technical skills to cope with these sectors' demands, most of them with a strong growth as wind energy. Nevertheless, the psychological requirements of some of the most in-demand positions are very important in the worker´s performance (e.g., emotional pressure, anxiety, monotony, isolation, intense working periods, etc.). In addition, employees are expected to develop some psychosocial competencies to overcome these psychological requirements that are not covered by certified training courses (e.g., decision-making or time management). As a result, there is a rapid burnout of workers and a high attrition rate in this type of positions. And even worse, the lack of well-developed psychosocial competences sometimes ends in risky situations and occupational accidents.