By implementing Welcome Work, we wanted to achieve four closely related objectives linked to the project results. First, through the Welcome Work Starter Kit, we wanted to equip VET providers with the knowledge, skills and practical guidance needed to support refugees in entering employment in the construction sector. Second, through the Good Practice Compendium, we wanted to provide construction-sector employers with reliable, practical and searchable guidance on various requirements, inclusive workplace practices and effective ways of supporting refugees and foreign-born workers. Third, through the Mobile Training Programme, we wanted to offer refugees an accessible and easy-to-use learning tool that would help them identify training and upskilling opportunities, better understand routes into employment and navigate pathways into the construction industry. Fourth, through the Share and Sustain strategy, we wanted to involve relevant stakeholders in order to strengthen participation, increase the uptake of project resources and support their continued use beyond the project lifetime. Overall, we wanted to combine inclusion, accessibility and labour-market relevance in a practical and results-oriented way.
We applied for this project in response to two interconnected needs in Europe: the growing necessity to support refugees in entering host-country labour markets and the increasing labour shortages in the construction sector. Many refugees, despite having legal access to residence, education and employment, still faced barriers such as language difficulties, limited understanding of labour-market expectations, unfamiliarity with local systems and challenges in transferring their previous qualifications and experience into a new context. At the same time, employers in construction were struggling to recruit sufficient staff, which created a need for practical and targeted solutions. The project was therefore based on a holistic yet pragmatic approach, combining social support, vocational education and training and cooperation with employers. Rather than addressing these areas separately, the project linked them in order to create realistic pathways into employment. It responded to the need for accessible tools, relevant guidance and flexible training resources that could support refugees more effectively, while also helping VET providers, intermediary organisations and employers strengthen inclusive practices and collaboration.