If the idea of providing advice that bridges the divide between credit and non-credit programs, while also keeping abreast of dozens of constantly evolving 21st century career pathways and job opportunities sounds daunting to you, don’t worry! There’s lots of help available online and in person for you and for your students, if you know where to find it.

There are some organizations with national reach especially devoted to addressing the challenges faced by foreign-educated immigrants. Their resources and websites should be at your fingertips – and included as links on your college’s website.

Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education

The Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education (CCCIE) brings together colleges around the country that are supporting skilled immigrants in innovative ways. CCCIE sponsors education and training workshops on community college campuses and at national conferences, disseminates research and resources through its website, and advocates for policies that support immigrant students.

WES Global Talent Bridge

WES Global Talent Bridge is an initiative of World Education Services (WES) that helps skilled immigrants leverage their training, achieve their professional goals and contribute their talent to their full potential.

Upwardly Global

Upwardly Global provides skilled immigrants with professional job search training, networking opportunities and placement services. If the foreign-educated immigrant in your office or classroom has completed a foreign college degree, is proficient in English, and meets certain other criteria, then you can make a referral to Upwardly Global.

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians is a model organization for how to advocate for skilled immigrants in your community. In addition to serving immigrants in Philadelphia, it publishes resources that can be accessed online.

For instance:

• You will also find specific guides on Accountants/Auditors, Mechanical Engineers, Teachers and Systems Analysts. Although these guides include some Pennsylvania-specific links, they will guide a foreign-educated immigrant through a professional job search anywhere in the United States.

IMPRINT

IMPRINT is the growing national coalition of nonprofits helping underemployed skilled immigrant professionals to start their American careers. It advocates for policies that facilitate immigrant integration and broadcasts best practices. On it’s website you will find issue briefs to help you develop and strengthen programs for skilled immigrants, including strategies for securing funding, building employer partnerships, gathering data on skilled immigrants, and becoming an effective advocate in your community.

Welcome Back Initiative

The Welcome Back Initiative website is a useful source of online resources for international health care professionals, with advice on how to create a flexible career pathway that builds on the spectrum of educational and career opportunities available to them in the U.S.

In addition to these national resources, there are a number of local and regional programs designed specifically to serve immigrant professionals. Find out more here.