Momentum Educate + Innovate (MEI) was delighted to join partners from across Europe in Emmendingen, Germany, for a PROMOTE project meeting. An Erasmus+ initiative dedicated to improving labour-market integration for highly skilled migrant women. Warmly hosted by Outside Media & Knowledge (OMK), the meeting offered a rich programme of exchange, planning, and inspiration.
PROMOTE aims to transform the employment landscape for highly skilled migrant women by addressing persistent barriers such as unconscious bias, lack of recognition of foreign qualifications, and limited tailored support from employers. Across the project’s partner regions, PROMOTE will develop and deliver work-based learning and job-placement pathways that better connect migrant women’s potential with real employment opportunities.
The meeting in Germany marked the formal kick-off of Work Package 3 (WP3): PROMOTE Training for Highly Skilled Migrant Women and Employers. This work package will develop training materials, exchange practices, and engage employers to promote more inclusive hiring and workplace cultures. Partners gathered at Emmendingen Town Hall for an engaging afternoon programme that combined introductions, thematic exchanges, and workshops.
The welcoming atmosphere encouraged open dialogue between international project partners and local stakeholders, including integration organisations, migrant women’s associations, and employers. English served as the main working language, but in line with PROMOTE’s inclusive ethos, informal interpretation support in German and Ukrainian ensured everyone could participate fully. Each organisation brought unique insights that are essential to creating meaningful, sustainable improvements in labour-market integration.
This mix of perspectives enriched the conversation around the challenges and opportunities facing highly skilled migrant women in European labour markets. During the workshop, partners explored the central objective of the PROMOTE training activities: to break the cycle of underemployment experienced by many migrant women despite their high qualifications. Discussions highlighted several core needs, including:
- recognition of international qualifications
- reducing unconscious bias in recruitment
- strengthening employer awareness of migrant women’s skills
- building pathways to quality, stable employment
Two thematic sessions focused specifically on the lived experiences of migrant women and on approaches to inclusive hiring practices. These conversations offered valuable insights that will shape the WP3 training framework. These conversations offered valuable insights that will shape the WP3 training framework.
This meeting set the basis for our second day at the OMK offices, where partners met for a focused WP3 planning session. This allowed partners to discuss and map the development of training content for the curricula for migrant women and employers. The meeting in Germany set a strong foundation for the next phase of the project. Through continued collaboration, exchange, and innovation, PROMOTE will contribute to building a more inclusive European labour market where highly skilled migrant women can thrive and where employers can better tap into an underutilised talent pool. We look forward to the next steps in this transformative project.
