How do you find your first job if you have no prior work experience? How do you figure out which career is right for you? How do you feel confident during a job interview?
Many young people are facing these very questions. Looking for your first job can seem daunting: where can you find job openings, how do you write a resume, and what skills do employers expect?
Starting a career, however, means more than just finding a job. It helps you discover your strengths and interests and take your first steps toward an independent life.
Could digital technologies be helpful in this process?
The international DigiWork project, led by the Tartu Youth Work Center, is seeking an answer to this question. The project brings together partners from Estonia, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, and Greece and will run until September 2028. The goal is to investigate the challenges young people face when looking for work and to develop digital solutions that would help them enter the labor market.
What are the biggest challenges?
When looking for your first job, many questions often arise: where to find job listings, what to include in your resume, how to behave during a job interview, and how to talk about your strengths.
Many young people are unsure what kind of job would be right for them. Others doubt their abilities or fear rejection. A lack of information about job opportunities, the necessary skills, or how the job market works can also be an obstacle.
DigiWork's goal is to understand these challenges from the young people's own perspective and to determine what kind of support they need most.
Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence as Tools
Digital technologies offer new opportunities for learning and developing practical skills. DigiWork is exploring how virtual reality and artificial intelligence could support young people as they enter the workforce.
For example, a young person could practice a job interview in a virtual environment, where they can safely try out different responses and build their self-confidence.
An AI-powered digital assistant could help you write a resume, describe your skills, or find career paths that match your interests.
Virtual simulations could also allow people to try out different professions and get a better idea of which job might be the best fit for them.
These are just a few possible solutions. As part of the project, we will determine which of them would be most beneficial for young people.
Your opinion matters
We invite young people and organizations that work with young people to participate in the DigiWork survey by completing a short questionnaire.
Your responses will help us better understand the obstacles young people face when looking for work and which digital solutions could best support them.
If you work with young people, we invite you to fill out the questionnaire together with them or to share your experiences in supporting them.
Link to the questionnaire: https://forms.gle/SzJB95EiRUttDXG99
If you have any further questions or suggestions regarding this project, please write to us at:
This project is funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA is responsible for them.
