Bridging the digital divide
Filip Vanhoorelbeke
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Efficiency
Featured
The Challenge
DigiCo is a non-profit organization that focuses on addressing the growing digital divide, which not only creates an alarming distance from the job market for people in vulnerable situations but also causes social exclusion as society moves into the digital age.
They were using an app called “Skillify”, uniquely designed for them. Skillify functions as a wizard (questionnaire) specifically crafted to evaluate the proficiency level of job seekers. These skill levels align with the DigComp framework set by the European Union. Job seekers have the autonomy to navigate through this wizard independently. However, they wanted to provide end users with guidance throughout their entire journey from start to finish. From testing their knowledge over offering relevant info to providing suitable job opportunities.
No less, they wanted to expand Skillify and improve its user-friendliness. That’s when they approached us in 2022 to help them tackle the growing digital divide and guide people into employment by reducing this digital gap.
Our Approach
At the outset of acquiring Skillify, we meticulously mapped out its existing system. We then shared a spectrum of potential enhancements, categorizing them based on what we believed would best serve DigiCo's business needs. In our quest to empower individuals within the job market, we engaged in immersive workshops, presenting diverse ideas and carefully listening to every insight shared by the DigiCo team. Through this dynamic exchange, the concept of SkillBridge emerged.
We build SkillBridge from the ground up:
Workshops
Analysis
Proof-of-concept
Mock-ups
Design
Minimum Viable Product
Support
Improvements
To ensure a seamless collaboration, we facilitated transparent communication via weekly meetings, sharing progress updates and milestones. Their valuable feedback during these sessions played a pivotal role in refining our approach, allowing us to swiftly adapt and evolve. To improve Skillify, we took over the application and made some necessary improvements.
Next, we developed “SkillBridge” in no more than 6 weeks. This platform aggregates diverse job platforms, while efficiently matching individuals with the right positions based on their skills evaluated through Skillify. SkillBridge efficiently gathers job listings from platforms like LinkedIn and LeForem, presenting a unified overview in a consistent format. By leveraging the power of OpenAI, jobs are assessed and matched with competences derived from the EU ESCO framework.
Following this, a customized AI-powered algorithm assesses job eligibility according to scores derived from the Skillify test. Thanks to this solution, they can offer their customers the complete story. They've also seen significant growth in the number of users and sell these products at international talks.
Needless to say, they are very pleased because they didn't know that aggregating various job platforms was possible, let alone displaying them consistently.
Outcome
We revamped Skillify, and then developed SkillBridge in only 6 weeks, aggregating jobs and matching skills. The result? Growth, international talks, and surprising satisfaction.
✅ Increased operational efficiency of the workflows by +35%
✅ 50% increase of user interactions on the platform after the first six months
✅ Enablement of real-time insights on how the platform is usedThe platform now meets WCAG 2.1 standards to make the platform more inclusive
✅ The platform now meets WCAG 2.1 standards to make the platform more inclusive
