APR 13, 2020
The prospect of finding employment in a new country is overwhelming, yet refugees often successfully integrate into the u.s. workforce and fill essential roles. How?
By Hannah Lee, Director of Community Engagement
As the impacts of Covid-19 continue to ripple through our nation and our communities, many businesses have shut down or switched to remote work. But for millions of essential service employees, work has continued on, even in light of the risks that Covid-19 pose. The Department of Homeland Security defines an essential business as any organization necessary for the continuation of services that are vital for the health and safety of the public. That list entails:
healthcare professionals,
grocery store employees,
food processing staff,
production and supplier employees,
transportation workers,
…to name a few.
Living through a pandemic teaches us a lot, and one reality it has brought to light is just how important essential service workers are! Today, most of us know that essential service workers are unsung heroes. But did you know that the majority of former refugees living in Arkansas are working in essential services?
It’s true! Many of Canopy’s clients work in processing and supply chain. Several work in retail, food service, and transportation. Almost a dozen are Certified Nursing Assistants and work in the healthcare field! Our clients tend to fill service positions that are vital to our economy— and this isn’t unique to Canopy’s clients!
Nationwide, a high percentage of former refugees are employed in various service industries: 20% work in manufacturing, 14% work in health care, and 10% work in general services, such as retail. Refugees tend to be highly motivated; in fact, statistically, refugees commonly progress from entry level positions into higher paying positions and are often successful entrepreneurs! It’s an impressive feat, especially when you consider the unique obstacles that refugees face in their employment journey.
So, let’s take a moment to step back and step into the shoes of a new American.
Imagine moving to a new country where very few people know you, if any. After settling into your new home, you spend the next 6 months taking language courses, cultural orientation courses, and workforce training. Looking for a job in a new place is difficult: perhaps you don’t know where to look for jobs or what vacancies are available in your field of specialization.
Even if you land an interview, the barriers are still huge.
Job interviews are scary enough, but now imagine going to an interview in a completely new place! One tough aspect of searching for work in a completely new country is lack of social capital. Networking can make job searching so much easier, but it can be hard when you’re just establishing yourself in a new place. Compounded with learning a new culture and navigating a new society— it’s tough to build strong social ties when you don’t know where to look!
At this point, you might be thinking: how in the world do our clients find jobs? The odds feel insurmountable. But together, we have found that it is absolutely possible—
““If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” ”
Our Employment Specialist works tirelessly to prepare each of our clients who are able to enter the workforce through language acquisition, interview preparation, and resume building. Our Employment Services Team works to build employer networks and develop our clients’ social capital. Our Director of Economic Advancement works with clients enrolled in our Refugee Support Services to pursue their career goals.
Many local businesses in our wonderfully supportive community work closely with Canopy and proudly employ our clients.
…and the resilience, talent, strengths, and experiences of our incredible clients do the rest.
Are you an employer in NWA? Partner with Canopy! We are working to build our employer network and would love to have YOU be a part of it. Connect with our Early Employment Team at earlyemployment@canopynwa.org today!
Responses