Belfast-based firm DAMGEO develops new app to improve young people’s employability prospects

Belfast-based online learning solutions company DAMGEO is developing an app to provide digital careers support service for young people aged between 11 and 18 years.

KLEOS is designed to improve young people’s employability, particularly those with ASD.

Funded through the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) and supported by the Department for Economy (DfE), it provides a toolkit to identify available jobs that match students’ abilities. By learning from their system interactions, the programme will offer personalised support and guidance, cognisant of their specific needs, to help them secure employment.     

Students at Northern Regional College (NRC) in Magherafelt are helping to pilot the new software programme with their feedback being used to identify and solve any challenges and glitches before the app is commercially launched.   

Damien Caldwell, co-founder and digitalisation and web consultant for DAMGEO, and previously head of digital learning and transformation at NRC, said: “In 2019, the SBRI released a call for businesses to come up with proposals to help support young people with ASD into paid employment, which was a concern identified by DfE. Following a competitive tender process, we secured funding to carry out research which in turn lead to the development of KLEOS. The software is suitable for 11–18 year olds and will provide additional support for young people with ASD.  

“KLEOS can shape learning for people with special needs. Based on their interactions with the learning content, it will provide them with contextual support, motivation and de-stressing techniques.   

“Getting into the employment market can be difficult but for someone with ASD it is even more difficult. Many autistic people are capable and willing to work, yet the number of young people with ASD in meaningful paid employment is shockingly low. Only 21.7% of autistic people are in either full or part-time employment, even though the majority want to work.”

He continued that while some people with ASD may lack social and communication skills, employers should look beyond the limitations faced by people with ASD as many have incredible skills and talents with a lot to contribute: “People with ASD can bring unique qualities and diverse perspectives to the workplace but, since social interactions can be challenging for them, many don’t even get past the interview stage. KLEOS is designed to help them get over that hurdle.”  

According to Damien, as career guidance is often limited because of scarce resources, KLEOS will also provide careers teachers and advisors with a dashboard summary of valuable data so they can help their students make more informed decisions on career choices and different employment options are open to them.    

DAMGEO was established by Damien in 2017 and after two years, his wife Colleen joined the company as a consultant. They have drawn on their combined experience in both the education and digital technologies sectors to develop KLEOS.

Damien previously worked as a digital education consultant for US software company, VERINT and Colleen worked as human capital management consultant with software development company Kainos. Both are familiar with the challenges of introducing new software into a work environment.   

Damien explained: “The pilot release of KLEOS is a significant milestone for DAMGEO and we hope that young people, particularly those with ASD will be able use it to access and complete the learning content so they can get the jobs they want and will enjoy.”    

KLEOS will be piloted by Transtition2Work students from February before being expanded to childcare and health care students..

Jennifer McFadden, curriculum manager of inclusive learning at the College, added: “The app will be such a great help to all students, especially our Transition2Work students who are preparing to progress to employment later this year.” 

Transtition2Work is a one-year full-time course for students who may experience learning difficulties, including those with ASD. It prepares them for employment and/or further education courses.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you