Upwardly Global to be lead agency for New York State Office of New Americans Professional Pathways Program 

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For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 24, 2021

Media Contact: Rebecca Neuwirth, 917-238-3664, rebeccan@upwardlyglobal.org 

Upwardly Global to be lead agency for New York State Office of New Americans Professional Pathways Program 

Upwardly Global recognizes this as an investment in the future of immigrant and refugee job seekers. 

NEW YORK — Upwardly Global has been awarded an important grant by the NYS Office for New Americans (ONA) to be the lead agency for a new statewide initiative launching in Fall 2021 to build Professional Pathways for Immigrants. Through this partnership, Upwardly Global will expand career services to all regions of the state.  NY state will lead a coalition of six workforce centers to welcome newcomers to the U.S. workforce, open employment opportunities to them and maximize their professional impact.

This program is being implemented in direct response to health care, workforce, and economic needs in NY state related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Professional Pathways will help ensure that job seekers with professional licenses or certifications received abroad are able to pursue employment that best matches their education and experience. 

Upwardly Global President and CEO, Jina Krause-Vilmar, had this to say about the exciting new partnership:

“Over the last year, Upwardly Global has continued to work very closely with the New York State Office for New Americans to invest in immigrants and refugee job seekers. This population is often invisibilized and overlooked in public discourse. These communities should be able to restart their careers and rebuild their lives in a way that enhances shared prosperity. This investment moves us in the right direction. Not only will Upwardly Global take a leading role in supporting the state’s capacity to serve skilled newcomers, but we have also been awarded an additional ONA grant to be the direct service provider of the new Professional Pathways Program in Brooklyn and Queens. “

In this role, Upwardly Global will work closely with ONA to build the capacity of our partners to offer hundreds of immigrant and refugee job seekers across the state the tools they need to restart their careers in New York. Upwardly Global will provide technical assistance, virtual career readiness training, re/upskilling opportunities tailored to immigrant and refugee learners, and employer partnerships. This includes training coaches at direct service organizations across the state to effectively reach out to, receive and serve this unique population. Upwardly Global will also be an implementing partner in New York City. 

This partnership positions Upwardly Global as a key part of ONA’s wider statewide network of providers poised to make strategic investments in immigrants and refugee professionals to positively impact our workforce. Other ONA programs include Opportunity Centers, Legal Counsels, Community Navigators, Golden Door Parent Support Groups, and the Liberty Defense Project.

According to labor market research, there were over 2.5 million open jobs in New York State in mid- and high skill areas in the five areas in which Upwardly Global training focuses. 

Other announced awardees include International Rescue Committee (IRC), U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Interfaith Works, The Center, and the International Institute of Buffalo. For more information, see New York State’s press release, here

For information and referrals to ONA’s programs, call the New Americans Hotline at 1-800-566-7636 9:00am to 8:00pm, Monday through Friday. All calls are confidential. Assistance is available in over 200 languages.

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Upwardly Global, founded in 2000, is the first and longest-serving organization focused on advancing the inclusion of immigrant and refugee professionals into the U.S. workforce. Upwardly Global’s innovative skill-building and networking programs coach internationally trained professionals in rebuilding professional careers and U.S. employers in accessing their talents with inclusive hiring practices. To date, Upwardly Global has placed almost 8,000 people in mid- and high skill jobs where they earn a thriving wage and added $358 million to the economy each year. Learn more at www.upwardlyglobal.org.

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