Welcoming Communities in Action
Discover how cities, states, provinces, and campuses are working to ensure that newcomers can fully contribute to resilient futures.
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Eid Mohammad Sultanzoy: WES Offers a Gateway to the Future
Rasha Faek |
“Beginnings have a perplexing beauty.” This is how Eid Mohammad Sultanzoy, a 43-year-old Afghan refugee, describes his experience of arriving in Canada in the summer of 2021. He and his family were forced to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban entered the capital city of Kabul, took control of the country, and imposed severe restrictions on […]
Empowering Internationally Trained Immigrants: Insights from a Group Mentoring Program
Stefanie Vasquez |
In 2022, WES Global Talent Bridge set out to lead a new mentoring initiative. Using a train-the-trainer model, the Global Talent Leadership Network (GTLN), an initiative of WES Global Talent Bridge, and JVS Toronto provided technical assistance over ten months to three organizations. The initiative supported two program rounds of industry-specific group mentoring. One Immigrant’s […]
New York City Newcomer Fair Supports Immigrants and Refugees in Navigating Career Services
Debra Means-West |
Many newcomers to New York City face a significant challenge: navigating local programs and services designed to help them rebuild their lives and achieve greater financial security. In this context, opportunities to form in-person connections are invaluable. That’s why WES Global Talent Bridge, in partnership with more than 15 national and local immigrant- and refugee-serving […]
Celebrating Immigrant and Refugee Educators in Maine on National Teacher Appreciation Day
Trevor Shealy |
In 2015, Nabaa Alobaidi resettled in Portland, Maine, having fled her home in Iraq as a refugee. With a master’s degree and experience practicing interior design and teaching at the university level, she hoped to continue her craft and her love of teaching. At a time when schools across the country are facing chronic teacher […]
The IMPRINT Coalition Submits Recommendations to White House Task Force on New Americans
Fatima Sanz |
Last week, the IMPRINT Coalition submitted a set of policy recommendations to the White House Task Force on New Americans to support the workforce inclusion of internationally trained immigrants and refugees. The IMPRINT Coalition comprises 29 member organizations from across the U.S.—including service providers, advocates, and educational institutions—that are committed to increasing access to economic […]
State Investments Address Workforce Challenges
Sara McElmurry |
Across the United States, workforce shortages are deepening. Essential sectors like health care and education have been particularly hard-hit, with critical staffing gaps affecting hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other key institutions across the country. At the same time, more than two million immigrants and refugees who have at least a bachelor’s degree are unemployed […]
Driving Systemic Change: New Oregon Bill Would Open Pathway to Practice for Internationally Trained Immigrants
Ngoc Nguyen |
Forced to flee Myanmar because of political persecution, Win Mar Lar Kyin eventually resettled in Oregon, leaving her family behind. Since then systemic barriers, including the lack of recognition of international credentials, have prevented Win from resuming her career as a primary care physician—despite having 12 years of experience practicing medicine in Myanmar. “With my […]
Synergy Texas Amplifies Models for Supporting Internationally Trained Students and Workers
Mikaela Santos and Trevor Shealy |
Synergy Texas is a network of adult education and literacy (AEL) providers working to address academic and employment barriers for internationally trained professionals in Texas. Brought together in 2019 through WES Global Talent Bridge’s Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP), Synergy Texas’ network includes community college educators and administrators, adult education providers, and other immigrant and […]
Inclusive Career Pathways for Immigrant and Refugee Women: Building Stronger Communities Through Equitable Opportunities
Stefanie Vasquez |
A confident woman with a radiant smile, Arlene Mora-Rausseo describes her journey from working as a surgeon in Venezuela to arriving in the United States as a refugee. Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Arlene credits her mother with helping her excel in school and college. In 1993, she graduated from medical school at the University of […]
How to Create a Newcomer-Inclusive Budget
Newcomers — including immigrants, refugees, refugee claimants, international students, work permit holders, and undocumented persons — contribute significantly to Ontario’s economic, social, and cultural prosperity. The province hosts close to 50 percent of all newcomers to Canada. Newcomers bring work experience and skills, new perspectives, and ethnic and linguistic diversity. Despite barriers to entering the […]
8 Immigrant Success Stories and What They Teach about the Benefits of Fellowships
Mikaela Santos |
The African Bridge Network (ABN), a non-profit in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts, area, seeks to create a supportive community that values the credentials and experiences of immigrants. ABN achieves its goal by supporting internationally trained workers through career coaching, networking opportunities, job placement, and more. In 2018, ABN participated in WES Global Talent Bridge’s Skilled […]
WES Partners with Five Communities Across Canada to Find Solutions to the Skills Shortage
Communities across Canada are struggling to find the talent they need. With the labour force expected to be close to 100 percent dependent on immigration to fuel growth, the communities’ need for immigrant talent has never been greater. In response to the ongoing Canadian labour crisis, WES launched #ImmigrantsWork to work with community partners in […]