Prima, one of Norway's largest work and inclusion companies, wanted a tool to expand the services offered to their job seekers. To bridge the gap between the limited time and resources of career advisors and the need for comprehensive career skills training for individuals, they explored new technology and VR as potential solutions.
Photo: Preben Wonn Witry, NT24
Partner Prima AS Customer since September 2023 Use case Career skills training for participants in work preparation programs (AFT) Application used Job interview | Key results Enhanced training efficiency: Job seekers can practice frequently and intensively without relying on the availability of a career advisor. Realistic training environments: The integration of artificial intelligence provides immediate feedback and responses, making the exercises more effective. Increased confidence: Significant improvements in job seeker's confidence and sense of mastery, enhancing performance in real-life situations. |
Limited resources meet individual needs
Prima AS provides work preparation training (AFT), one of NAV's labor market initiatives aimed at individuals with reduced work capacity, complex support needs, and particularly uncertain career prospects. This group, referred by NAV, often lacks job experience or has been out of the workforce for an extended period.
Training in career skills will be offered to their 180 job seekers, with the goal of placing all participants in work trials or education. A key part of the process is practicing the job interview situation, including articulating their skills and explaining any gaps in their CV.
Providing effective training for job seekers is challenging. Career advisors have limited capacity to deliver extensive preparation and training, and role-playing with advisors does not yield sufficient results.
"If you're going to practice for a job interview, it's not always possible to meet with your advisor. Each advisor is responsible for many clients. If you have a job interview in two weeks, you might only get to practice a couple of times with your advisor. That doesn't have the same impact as practicing ten times."
"What we often see is that it doesn't feel realistic enough. Role-playing with your advisor just isn't real enough. Many have never been to a job interview before, so they don't know how it works or what kind of questions they might get."
Frode Aasprong & Aleksander Vold, Project Managers and Career Advisors at Prima AS
A new way to prepare for working life
To address these challenges, Frode Aasprong and Aleksander Vold initiated a project focused on digital solutions and VR. They initially started producing 360-degree videos themselves but found the process time-consuming. In August 2023, they reached out to Fornix, and since October of the same year, they have been using Fornix's solutions for career skills training.
"In VR, it feels more real. It feels like a genuine interview, and you can practice it. Often, and extensively. Without the job seeker being dependent on the advisor's presence."
Technology-driven mastery and success
The job interview training solution has been particularly popular. The integration of artificial intelligence in the solution allows job seekers to get the amount of practice they need while freeing up capacity for career advisors. During a test period where Prima measured the results on a group of job seekers, they observed that the significant transferability to real-life situations helped job seekers overcome the fear of attending job interviews and gave them a sense of mastery in the process.
"Regardless of their background or initial mindset, job seekers are very impressed by the solutions and recognize their value. You put on the VR headset, enter an office, meet an employer, receive relevant questions, and are challenged. What you say triggers a response, and they see the real-life applicability."
After the test period, the interview application is now being made a mandatory part of Prima’s AFT programs.
