We had four main goals for the KEYS project. First, we aimed to support and increase migrant enrollment in vocational education and training (VET) programs by giving them tools that would help them develop the skills needed for succeeding in VET and this way improve their likelihood of being employed. We also wanted to create pathways to make it easier for migrants to move from language and integration training into VET levels 1–4. Our third goal was to develop tools that would improve the chances of migrants finding work, helping them secure sustainable employment and integrate more effectively into society. Finally, we wanted to create tools and support systems that would help them develop skills that our society considers as essential work-life skills, enabling them to adapt to different work environments and maintain continuous employment.
We applied for the KEYS project because we saw a crucial need to develop tools that would help migrants integrate more effectively into education, employment and society. With the increasing number of migrants and refugees, coupled with global uncertainties like the wars and economic instability, our goal was to create, test and implement user-friendly tools to enhance migrants' basic skills and key competences, essential for their successful integration. We also wanted to equip educators with practical tools for their curricula and training programs. We had identified a gap in collaboration between integration/language training providers and vocational education and training (VET) providers. By bridging this gap, we sought to create upskilling pathways that would facilitate smoother transitions from integration and language training to VET or employment. We also wanted to promote inclusion, equality, and non-discrimination by highlighting the broader social challenges faced by migrants to various stakeholders.