Lincoln Selected as 2019 Skilled Immigrant Integration Program Participant

There are many ways to make a community attractive to those outside of it, especially through workforce development.

There are many initiatives the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development is taking to keep the best and brightest in Lincoln after they finish their education and enter the workforce, including a new effort and new opportunity to bring in talented people from all over the world to Lincoln and the surrounding area.

The Skilled Immigrant Integration Project is a way Lincoln can attract those with foreign education and present them with opportunities to work at skilled and in-demand jobs.

Lincoln’s New Americans Task Force has been selected as one of eight participating communities and states for World Education Services and its Global Talent Bridge program in 2019.  The Task Force brings together all agencies focused on immigrants and refugees to coordinate resources and efforts.

Administrators for WES were in town on March 7 to discuss the program and detailed the services and outcomes they’re able to assist with. The Skilled Immigrant Integration Program in 2019 also includes San Diego, Anchorage, Boston, Pittsburgh, Des Moines, Portland, Maine and the state of Texas. Overall, the goal is to address gaps in the area’s workforce while also making the area more attractive and welcoming to immigrants, which then increases the talent pool and fills jobs.

A recent survey by New American Economy found that nearly 29% of immigrants in Lincoln over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree or higher, which is close to the national average. However, “brain waste”—or what we see as underutilization of skills and education through underemployment or unemployment—continues to occur and increase. The same study found that of the 7.6 million college educated immigrants in the United States, 1.9 million of them—or nearly 1 in 4—are either working in low-skilled jobs or are unemployed.

A shortage of qualified workers exists within our local and state economies. It’s vital for Lincoln and Nebraska to continue various workforce development efforts by providing qualified workers to local employers and by meeting the needs of those in the community, especially those that need assistance in linking up with area employers. The goal is for the program to build on partnerships, specifically with healthcare providers in the region to forge better connections and hire the most talented people possible.

LPED Director of Workforce Development Bryan Seck is excited to link area employers with skilled people from all over the globe who have decided to forge a new path in Lincoln.

“This effort will help us re-connect our newest immigrant and refugee neighbors to their skills and professions. I cannot wait to get started on this work and help a person who was a doctor, machinist, or lawyer in their home country practice their trade in Lincoln.”

WES Program Manager Senay Gebremedhin says the program helps Lincoln and the other communities involved because it creates a network and to be responsible for desired progress with goals and shared outcomes. He relayed his surprise from the connectedness of the 2018 participants in the Global Talent Bridge program.

“People felt a lot closer to each other and approached people from other communities who might be able to assist them when necessary. The groups felt accomplished with the accountability to not only their own communities, but others in the project as they looked to attain these shared outcomes and make the program successful.”

“It was a pleasant surprise.”

WES will oversee the program and provide customized technical assistance to further and enhance the integration of skilled immigrants into the workforce. Each community in this year’s program receives hands-on-coaching, advising and web-based seminars from WES’ Global Talent Bridge team on how to maximize immigrant professional integration.

After starting the program in 2018, WES Director of State and Local Initiatives, Katherine Gebremedhin, says the involvement of the cities and states in 2018 was positive, with each meeting or nearly meeting their desired outcomes through the program for skilled immigrant integration into the workforce.

“Every city or state made significant progress to attain and achieve those outcomes for 2018, so we’re hoping to see the same level or even better for those in the program this year. We still have a few participants finishing up from last year to reach their goals, but they’ve all met their goals and we hope for the same with this cohort.”

However, it takes many different partners to get a workforce initiative such as this off the ground. The efforts of the New Americans Task Force, EmployLNK and other organizations in Lincoln relating to immigrant immigration, such as Lutheran Family Services, Catholic Social Services, Center for People in Need, Appleseed, the Asian Community and Cultural Center and many others, have provided a track record of success that ultimately enhanced and secured our city’s selection to participate in the WES program.

Senay Gebremedhin notes the importance of bringing many different organizations together for shared outcomes.

“When you have a national organization like WES come in to address the issue, it does create a bit of an interest in the program at a local level and elevates the topic to the level that we believe it should be at.”

“It’s a great way to not only build interest but deepen that relationship locally.”

Lincoln has long been a destination for various immigrant groups looking to start new lives and prosper in our country. Katherine Gebremedhin praised the ongoing efforts of Lincoln to integrate and accept immigrants into the community with open arms.

“You have a long history of Lincoln doing this work. It’s really exciting to see the focus on that population that’s highly educated and how you can look at solutions to what you can build here for that population.”

The continued efforts of LPED through EmployLNK and other workforce development agencies will enhance the area’s offerings and provide a boost to the quality of life in our community through these career opportunities.

If you or your business would like to be involved in the program or want more information, please contact Bryan Seck at bseck@selectlincoln.org or at 402.436.2365.

There are many ways to make a community attractive to those outside of it, especially through workforce development.

There are many initiatives the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development is taking to keep the best and brightest in Lincoln after they finish their education and enter the workforce, including a new effort and new opportunity to bring in talented people from all over the world to Lincoln and the surrounding area.

The Skilled Immigrant Integration Project is a way Lincoln can attract those with foreign education and present them with opportunities to work at skilled and in-demand jobs.

Lincoln’s New Americans Task Force has been selected as one of eight participating communities and states for World Education Services and its Global Talent Bridge program in 2019.  The Task Force brings together all agencies focused on immigrants and refugees to coordinate resources and efforts.

Administrators for WES were in town on March 7 to discuss the program and detailed the services and outcomes they’re able to assist with. The Skilled Immigrant Integration Program in 2019 also includes San Diego, Anchorage, Boston, Pittsburgh, Des Moines, Portland, Maine and the state of Texas. Overall, the goal is to address gaps in the area’s workforce while also making the area more attractive and welcoming to immigrants, which then increases the talent pool and fills jobs.

A recent survey by New American Economy found that nearly 29% of immigrants in Lincoln over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree or higher, which is close to the national average. However, “brain waste”—or what we see as underutilization of skills and education through underemployment or unemployment—continues to occur and increase. The same study found that of the 7.6 million college educated immigrants in the United States, 1.9 million of them—or nearly 1 in 4—are either working in low-skilled jobs or are unemployed.

A shortage of qualified workers exists within our local and state economies. It’s vital for Lincoln and Nebraska to continue various workforce development efforts by providing qualified workers to local employers and by meeting the needs of those in the community, especially those that need assistance in linking up with area employers. The goal is for the program to build on partnerships, specifically with healthcare providers in the region to forge better connections and hire the most talented people possible.

LPED Director of Workforce Development Bryan Seck is excited to link area employers with skilled people from all over the globe who have decided to forge a new path in Lincoln.

“This effort will help us re-connect our newest immigrant and refugee neighbors to their skills and professions. I cannot wait to get started on this work and help a person who was a doctor, machinist, or lawyer in their home country practice their trade in Lincoln.”

WES Program Manager Senay Gebremedhin says the program helps Lincoln and the other communities involved because it creates a network and to be responsible for desired progress with goals and shared outcomes. He relayed his surprise from the connectedness of the 2018 participants in the Global Talent Bridge program.

“People felt a lot closer to each other and approached people from other communities who might be able to assist them when necessary. The groups felt accomplished with the accountability to not only their own communities, but others in the project as they looked to attain these shared outcomes and make the program successful.”

“It was a pleasant surprise.”

WES will oversee the program and provide customized technical assistance to further and enhance the integration of skilled immigrants into the workforce. Each community in this year’s program receives hands-on-coaching, advising and web-based seminars from WES’ Global Talent Bridge team on how to maximize immigrant professional integration.

After starting the program in 2018, WES Director of State and Local Initiatives, Katherine Gebremedhin, says the involvement of the cities and states in 2018 was positive, with each meeting or nearly meeting their desired outcomes through the program for skilled immigrant integration into the workforce.

“Every city or state made significant progress to attain and achieve those outcomes for 2018, so we’re hoping to see the same level or even better for those in the program this year. We still have a few participants finishing up from last year to reach their goals, but they’ve all met their goals and we hope for the same with this cohort.”

However, it takes many different partners to get a workforce initiative such as this off the ground. The efforts of the New Americans Task Force, EmployLNK and other organizations in Lincoln relating to immigrant immigration, such as Lutheran Family Services, Catholic Social Services, Center for People in Need, Appleseed, the Asian Community and Cultural Center and many others, have provided a track record of success that ultimately enhanced and secured our city’s selection to participate in the WES program.

Senay Gebremedhin notes the importance of bringing many different organizations together for shared outcomes.

“When you have a national organization like WES come in to address the issue, it does create a bit of an interest in the program at a local level and elevates the topic to the level that we believe it should be at.”

“It’s a great way to not only build interest but deepen that relationship locally.”

Lincoln has long been a destination for various immigrant groups looking to start new lives and prosper in our country. Katherine Gebremedhin praised the ongoing efforts of Lincoln to integrate and accept immigrants into the community with open arms.

“You have a long history of Lincoln doing this work. It’s really exciting to see the focus on that population that’s highly educated and how you can look at solutions to what you can build here for that population.”

The continued efforts of LPED through EmployLNK and other workforce development agencies will enhance the area’s offerings and provide a boost to the quality of life in our community through these career opportunities.

If you or your business would like to be involved in the program or want more information, please contact Bryan Seck at bseck@selectlincoln.org or at 402.436.2365.