Luxembourg: Coach4work

The Coach4Work project informs and accompanies third-country national (TCN) who are looking for employment. The project, run by the Association de Soutien aux Travailleurs Immigrés (ASTI), or the 'Association for the Support of Migrant Workers', operates thanks to the support of volunteer career coaches.

Project Goal

Many TCNs face barriers in finding a job, are unfamiliar with the functioning of the national labour market, and experience difficulties in understanding relevant requirements and cultural codes. Through the Coach4Work project, ASTI offer TCN jobseekers training in accessing the labour market, supporting them to:

• take stock of their career path
• define their employment needs
• apply for jobs more effectively

How it works

The first edition of ASTI worked in the following way:

• jobseekers enrolled in the project participated in two days of training in March 2022, organised by ASTI with the collaboration of (non-)governmental stakeholders
• 21 coaches were recruited: 11 certified coaches, 4 active recruiters and 6 retirees with a background as a recruiter or administration manager
• in April 2022, a day of information on the Luxembourg labour market and exchange between coaches was organised 
• 24 project participants, including 3 applicants for international protection, were 'mactched' with the 21 volunteer job coaches

The job of the volunteer coach is to accompany the project participant individually and free of charge for a maximum of 4 - 6 months, sharing their experience and professional networks. The coach advises, answers questions about their career path, enhances the skills of the jobseeker and provides feedback based on their previous practical experience. For the jobseeker, this provides the opportunity to project themselves into their professional future, boosting their ambitions and self-confidence and extending their network.

A platform for volunteer job coaches was set up to facilitate their exchange of advice, useful addresses on the job market and training opportunities.

For 3participants seeking international protection, thorough administrative support was provided, in order to better facilitate their access to employment or skills training. Thanks to adequate support, these people have been able to find a job or training, and have not remained inactive while they await a decision on their asylum claim.

Who benefits

Migrant job seekers in Luxembourg.

Funding and resources

Over its initial phase, the project received half of its funding via the European Social Fund (ESF), and another half - through the Ministry of Labour and Employment of Luxembourg.