On October 16, 2025, the International Rescue Committee Germany's "Ich bin DABEI!" (I'm IN!) project, together with the Commissioner for Migration and Integration of the City of Halle, hosted a symposium entitled "Digitalization in Migration Work – Potential for Labor Market Integration" in the Grand Ballroom of the Stadthaus Halle (Saale). The event provided ample opportunity for orientation and exchange on digital approaches in migration work.
The focus was on innovative approaches using artificial intelligence, blended counseling, and social media.
We were represented by two projects from the Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (f-bb): the Future Center for Digital Work Saxony-Anhalt and the WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt. In a joint expert presentation on the topic of "Blended Counseling: Hybrid Counseling in the Process of Labor Market Integration," Larissa Zier and Clemens Kellner demonstrated in a practical manner how digital and analog communication channels can be combined systematically and conceptually to enable more realistic, efficient, and flexible counseling.
The presentation highlighted key aspects such as:
- the selection of suitable communication channels (synchronous/asynchronous, verbal/written)
- technical and organizational framework conditions (e.g., data protection, accessibility, multilingualism)
- Competence requirements for counselors (e.g., digital sovereignty, ethical awareness, trust building in the digital space)
The topic of blended counseling was explored in greater depth in the subsequent workshop. Participants shared their own practical experiences, discussed challenges, and worked in small groups to develop creative concepts for ideal hybrid counseling settings, particularly for the target group of immigrant skilled workers.
For us, the event was another example of successful cross-project cooperation within our research institute on socially relevant topics such as labor market integration. Thanks to our specific project contexts, we were able to look at the topic of blended counseling from different angles and inspire the participants to think creatively. We hope that all the dedicated counselors who attended will be able to apply the many ideas they gained to their everyday work.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the event team and look forward to further exchanges on the potential of digitalization in migration work!
