Micro-skills: opening of the MyCred4Home assessment platform

The European project MyCred4Home, which we have been coordinating since 2021, is coming to an end. The results of the work carried out by five EU countries are now taking shape in the form of an interactive platform designed to assess the essential micro-skills required for family assistant profession. This simple, fast, and accessible skills recognition method aims to facilitate the professionalization of (future) employees and contribute to addressing the employment challenges in the PHS sector (Personal and Household Services).

On October 24, at the International University Campus of Paris, IPERIA hosted the closing conference for the MyCred4Home project, bringing together its European partners. During his speech, Constantinos Tefkros Loizou unveiled a tool that represents the culmination of 30 months of work: an assessment platform for future family assistants across Europe, enabling them to obtain micro-certifications and earn badges validating their skills.

The project began in 2021 with research on the impact of micro-certifications in the homecare sector and their potential for deployment. This was followed by the development of a competency framework designed by IPERIA, which served as the foundation for Cypriot developers to create the assessment platform. The final step will be the publication of a practical guide to help other organizations in the sector—and even beyond—structure and develop standards and methodologies around micro-certification.

Now, let’s focus on the content of this platform, whose development was entrusted to the SEIT Lab, part of the Computer Science Department at the University of Cyprus. Through a colorful and engaging presentation, featuring graphics reminiscent of an educational map, candidates can progress through different assessment stages in one of three available languages: French, Spanish, or English.

The entire assessment lasts 90 minutes, divided into various challenges. The four micro-skills to be validated are represented by four distinct houses arranged around a central roundabout: technical know-how, organizational skills and efficiency, communication with the employer, and respect for expectations and needs. Each house symbolizes a stage in the evaluation process. Candidates are intuitively guided between the different checkpoints by a voice that provides instructions in a friendly environment—the home of a private employer. This fictional character plays a central role: they represent the future private employer and give precise instructions for each task that candidates must complete within a set time.

The fourth micro-skill includes a meeting with an assessor and consists of a simulated job interview.

Each skill is independent of the others (candidates can acquire 1, 2, 3, or all 4), has three levels (beginner, intermediate, and expert) assessed as a percentage, and grants a MyCred4Home badge upon validation. In the case of partial validation, recommendations are provided to encourage individuals to continue their training or learning journey. Since skills validation creates opportunities, the platform is designed so that a candidate who reaches the expert level in their assessments can, in turn, become an "assessor".

This platform is accessible to anyone with relevant skills in this sector or in the field of domestic employment, those looking to enter the profession, employment and training professionals, as well as certification bodies in both the public and private sectors.

Discover the MyCred4Home platform: HERE