Passport for Work

Municipality of Eindhoven

The algorithm shows which available occupations and jobs are a good match for the skills (skills) of a jobseeker with a distance to the labour market.

Last change on 25th of June 2024, at 7:22 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Impactful algorithms
• Impact assessment: Field not filled in.
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

Economy

Begin date

11-2021

Contact information

[e-mail]

Link to publication website

https://www.passportforwork.nl/

Responsible use

Goal and impact

Passport for Work aims to help people distant from the labour market find sustainable jobs. To do so, it uses online tools, gamification, applied market research and mobile micro-learning. Passport for Work gives residents and businesses additional opportunities and support to find suitable work or employees.

Considerations

The algorithm uses scientific insights and experience (empirical information) as much as possible to get the most reliable outcome. Still, an algorithm can never completely determine someone's suitability for an occupation or job. The characteristics associated with the professions, the weighting factors that determine the skill profile and how a person felt while taking the tests also determine the outcome. The algorithm is a tool to give a jobseeker an insight into his/her talents and which occupations would fit well with them in a fun way. The results are discussed with the candidates to check whether the outcome is recognisable. The results of the algorithm are tracked over a longer period to assess whether the algorithm is effective in practice.

Human intervention

• A case manager, career counselor or supervisor discusses the skill profile with the jobseeker. They discuss whether they think the skill profile is correct and whether the job suggestions made by Password for Work fit.
• A jobseeker decides whether the skill profile will be visible to employers.
• A job seeker always gets to see all jobs and an employer all candidates. The algorithm only determines the order of jobs and job seekers.

Risk management

• Circumstances while completing the tests can have a negative impact on the outcome. For example, if the job seeker is disturbed, unable to concentrate properly, the computer or the internet is not working properly, the conclusion may be wrongly drawn that the job seeker is not fast enough and therefore receives a lower rating.
• Subjectivity or cultural influence: The matching system is based on current knowledge within psychometrics. However, cultural influences or subjectivity cannot be ruled out. The likelihood of such effects is difficult to estimate, but if they occur, they can have negative consequences for those involved.
• Incorrect matching: There is a chance that, due to bugs or unforeseen issues, the measured competences or the calculation of the match is not correct. Then the outcome may be a less appropriate advice.
• Limited matching: Passport for work cannot advise towards occupations and/or sectors not included in Passport for Work. As a result, jobseekers may miss out on an opportunity for (better) suitable work.

Legal basis

The Participation Act aims to guide as many people as possible who are able to work into employment and/or support them in their work. The municipality has the task of guiding residents with a distance to the labour market to suitable work. Passport for Work is a tool that can help make a good link between available jobs and jobseekers.

Operations

Data

The following data are used by the algorithm:

• Skills of job seekers: The structure of this consists of data on behaviour, personality (measured by a science-based personality questionnaire), skills, motivation (measured by the RIASEC model), self-assessment and experience based on CV.
• Skills that come with a job: A nationwide survey of employers, employees and sector representatives provided the information on which skills are important for a particular occupation, and at what level the skills are important. This was initially done for 24 occupations, in the construction, healthcare and engineering sectors.

Technical design

Below is the functional explanation of how the algorithm works.

• Algorithm to determine a job seeker's skill profile: Passport for Work maps job seekers' skills through a combination of self-assessment, neurogames and online role plays. Based on these tests, the algorithm determines the skill profile. This is a schematic overview of a jobseeker's skills.

• Skill profile of professions and jobs: Each profession within Passport for Work has its own skill profile. This skill profile consists of an overview of competences a candidate must have for that profession. An employer can enter a vacancy for a particular profession. The employer can adopt the skill profile for that profession one-to-one or modify the profile.

• Matching algorithm: The matching algorithm first looks at hard requirements such as possession of a driving licence, commuting distance or available working days. These are the so-called 'knock-out criteria'. But most importantly, it assesses whether a jobseeker has or can develop the skills that go with the job. The algorithm looks at how far a jobseeker's profile matches the job profile. It does this based on a weighting matrix. This translates the results of the tests into a score on each of the competences from the O*NET system. The highest score means that the competency matches exactly what is needed. The score for all competences together determines a person's possible suitability for a profession and job. The degree of possible suitability is indicated from most suitable to least suitable always showing all results.

External provider

Organiq