For Immediate Release: BDCC & Refugee Partners Selected to Join National Skilled Immigrant Integration Program
BDCC & Refugee Partners Selected to Join National Skilled Immigrant Integration Program
Brattleboro, Vermont—September 6th, 2022— Brattleboro has been selected by World Education Services (WES) as one of 16 communities invited to join the fifth cohort of the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP), an initiative that comprises 40 cities, regions, and states in advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees who have international education, training, and experience.
“Southern Vermont and much of rural America is grappling with record-level job openings and labor turnover, yet a large number of newly arrived, college-educated immigrants and refugees are unemployed or underemployed. We need this talent, training, and experience in our local economy,” said Alex Beck, Welcoming Communities Manager at the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation. “Through SIIP, we will collaborate with communities facing similar challenges to develop shared solutions and bolster our local workforce while also advancing equity and opportunity. We believe that immigrant inclusion is key to building a vibrant, innovative, and future-ready southern Vermont.”
Across the United States, at least two million college-educated immigrants and refugees are unemployed or underemployed; sixty percent hold international credentials, according to the Migration Policy Institute. This underutilization of talent results in almost $40 billion in forgone wages and $10 billion in unrealized tax receipts annually. Previous SIIP participants have developed new frameworks, resources, and initiatives to address barriers to employment, increase funding for workforce development and adult education, and develop state and local networks that advance inclusion.
The 2022-2023 SIIP initiative will build on the program’s previous success with the introduction of four themes that will focus participants’ efforts on addressing priority issues in their communities. The four thematic sub cohorts include building career navigation tools and resources for internationally trained immigrants and refugees; advancing and retaining internationally skilled employees; connecting local workforce boards with untapped talent pools; and developing and expanding contextualized digital literacy programs.
Leaders and program staff from the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and Ethiopian Community Development Council will participate in the 12-month program to building career navigation tools and resources for internationally trained immigrants and. Through SIIP, Brattleboro and other participating communities will have the opportunity to leverage technical assistance from WES and other national leaders in the field and connect with cross-sector stakeholders from Anchorage, Alaska; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; Lincoln, Nebraska; Louisville, Kentucky; New York, New York; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; South Bend, Indiana; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and the states of Colorado, Utah, and Virginia.
Beck says, “The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation has a history of developing career navigation tools and resources for Vermonters through their Pipelines and Pathways program. As the primary employment services providers for New Vermonters in Windham and Bennington Counties, pursuing the opportunity to participate in this initiative is perfectly aligned with our expertise, goals, and the needs of our community members.” Participants of the Brattleboro team will travel to D.C in October for a conference to mark the official start of the program and to meet national peers and partners in-person.
About Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC)
The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) is a private, nonprofit economic development organization that serves as a catalyst for industrial and commercial growth throughout Southeastern Vermont, including Windham County and the towns of Readsboro, Searsburg, Winhall and Weston. BDCC serves as the State of Vermont’s certified Regional Development Corporation (RDC) for the greater Windham County area. BDCC is one of 12 RDCs throughout Vermont. This BDCC activity was made possible in part by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. For more information visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/
About World Education Services (WES)
World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. For more than 45 years, WES has set the standard of excellence in the field of international academic credential evaluation. Through WES Global Talent Bridge, the organization joins with institutional partners, community-based organizations, and policymakers to help immigrants and refugees who hold international credentials fully utilize their talents and education to achieve their academic and professional goals. Through its grantmaking, impact investing, and partnerships, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund seeks to advance economic and social inclusion for immigrants and refugees.
About the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP)
The Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) offers communities an opportunity to leverage technical assistance from WES and its national partners and to join a network of sites to further their state and local immigrant economic integration initiatives. The SIIP network consists of 40 member communities, a combination of cities, states, and regions across the U.S
