From Barriers to Bridges: Your Path to a New Career
Searching for a new job is a major life transition, and it’s completely natural to feel a bit of uncertainty along the way. Recently, we reached out to our community to find out what the biggest hurdles are when looking for that next opportunity. We want to thank everyone who participated in our poll. Your feedback is exactly what helps us build better tools for everyone.
What the Results Show
The numbers gave us a very clear picture of how people are feeling in today’s labor market:
- 50% of you said the biggest barrier is simply “Not knowing where to start.”
- 25% shared that “Tech is scary.”
- 25% pointed to “Training costs” as their main concern.
If you voted for any of these, we want you to know: you aren’t alone, and you don’t have to stay stuck.
Why There is Reason for Hope
At DIAMOND Empower, we see these challenges not as isolated struggles, but as structural gaps that can be addressed through smarter, more inclusive approaches to employment support.
The reality is this: many existing Active Labor Market Policies (ALMPs) have not fully delivered on their promise, particularly when it comes to guiding individuals through complex, fast-changing career pathways. This is exactly where DIAMOND steps in.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, DIAMOND is developing a new generation of tools and methodologies that respond directly to the barriers you identified:
- Turning confusion into clarity: For those who don’t know where to start, DIAMOND provides data-driven guidance through tools like the MOVEᴱ platform and the ᴱGROW Index. These solutions support individuals in understanding their skills, identifying realistic career pathways, and making informed decisions based on both personal profiles and labor market insights.
- Turning fear of technology into opportunity: Instead of expecting individuals to “keep up” with digital transformation alone, DIAMOND brings innovation closer to people through Grassroots Living Labs. These environments enable participants to engage with digital tools in a practical, supportive, and human-centered way, transforming technology from something intimidating into something accessible and empowering.
- Turning barriers into access: Challenges such as training costs and limited access to opportunities are not just individual issues, they are systemic. DIAMOND addresses this by connecting individuals, employers, and policymakers, creating pathways that are not only accessible but also scalable and sustainable across regions.
Stay tuned as we continue to share updates on our tools and how they can help you kickstart your next chapter!
Funding Agency: European Research Executive Agency (REA)
