TAsk-based laNguage teaching anD collaborative lEarning for upskilling Migrants

The project “TANDEM – TAsk-based laNguage teaching anD collaborative lEarning for upskilling Migrants” aims to increase the employability and key competences of migrant and local adults, by offering them an innovative and non-formal learning opportunity in which migrants are encouraged to use their existing linguistic capabilities and turn them into an employment possibility as language teacher, while promoting intercultural exchanges and peer-learning with local adults.

The presence of migrants is a reality in Europe and has been increasing since 2015. A part of those newly-arrived migrants is low-skilled. In Europe, non-natives and especially non-EU have higher unemployment rates (Eurostat, 2017) compared to natives and this gap increases when being low-skilled. At the same time, migrants face problems of overqualification and/or difficulties with recognition of skills in the new country, (migrants are 12% more likely to be overqualified than natives, OECD, 2018).

At the same time, about 20% of the adults in Europe lack essential skills and competences in literacy, numeracy and about 25% lack ICT skills (PIAAC, 2016). Education and skills increase employability, but, adults with lower skill levels are less likely to participate in learning activities: this represents a challenge for the one in four unemployed who has low literacy and numeracy skills. Also, lower-skilled adults have more difficulty to find a job than educated ones (Eurostat, 2018).

Low skills and unemployment increase the risk of social and economic exclusion. There is therefore not just a need for new possibilities to increase skills and employability, but also for new ways to recognize skills and competences acquired through non-formal learning.