Sparking Economic Development by Investing in Skilled Immigrants

Transcription

1 Sparking Economic Development by Investing in Skilled Immigrants Dial-In: Access Code: October 29, pm Eastern 1 pm Central 12 pm Mountain 11 am Central

2 Logistics Today s webinar is in listen-only mode via internet audio or dial-in. If you have audio issues during the webinar, try closing browser windows if using internet audio, or hang up and then dial back in using the telephone. To submit your questions/comments throughout the webinar, use the Q&A box in the lower-right part of your screen. For technical assistance or to get a copy of today s slides: contact@imprintproject.org at any time.

3 Today s Agenda Introductions New York s Immigrant Bridge program & related activities Lansing, MI s Fellowship program & related activities Your questions!

4 But First Who s in the Room? People registered for today s webinar include economic development professionals, immigrant/refugee service providers, educators, coalition leaders, and more. The top 3 items you identified in the pre-survey to learn about today: What economic development initiatives for skilled immigrants CONSIST OF (types of programs, activities, etc.) How the initiatives are FUNDED What OUTCOMES are expected from these initiatives

5 What is IMPRINT? IMPRINT is a national coalition of nonprofits helping underemployed skilled immigrants to start their American careers. IMPRINT: Creates and disseminates resources Advocates for effective policies Broadcasts best practices

6 An Economic Development Strategy? Human capital investments in the past were often seen as a workforce development strategy. Today, you ll hear from two economic development organizations that have identified skilled immigrants as a key part of their overall regional goals.

7 Yes! Facilitating skilled immigrants connection to the labor market is most definitely an economic development strategy. It s also a purposeful one. Today s presenters will emphasize the research and planning that their organizations did before launching programs. And finally, it s a local one. Successful skilled immigrant programs need to reflect the specific assets and needs of the communities in which they re located.

8 Today s Presenters Miquela Craytor NYC Economic Development Corporation Sara Graham Lansing Economic Area Partnership

9 Immigrant Bridge Program Miquela Craytor Director of Industrial and Income Mobility Initiatives, NYCEDC 9 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

10 The Immigrant Bridge Program is one of eight pilot initiatives to connect low-income populations to opportunities in NYC s economy NYCEDC, in partnership with other City agencies and with the help of community-based organizations, private-sector businesses and the City s residents, identified challenges that limit upward income mobility for low- to middle-skill residents and workers in the City. NYCEDC and partners launched 8 pilot initiatives in 2012 and 2013 to foster opportunities for lowincome New Yorkers to succeed in growth sectors of the City s economy, including healthcare, STEM, media, and professional services. Announcement of the LINK initiatives, March NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

11 LINK initiatives focus on tackling key upward mobility challenges Helping low-income individuals (including disconnected youth, immigrants, and men of color) gain skills and access to better paying jobs in the Knowledge Economy (e.g. healthcare, STEM, media, and professional services) 11 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

12 and on harnessing human capital to strengthen the City s economy Immigrant Bridge Program was included in Brookings report Providing talent to the growing sectors that are critical to New York City s 21 st century economy Strengthening the economic base in distressed neighborhoods and communities by fostering entrepreneurial opportunities and supporting organizations and businesses that provide support and employment opportunities for the City s current low-income populations 12 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

13 An Overview of LINK initiatives Leverage emerging opportunities by better connecting workers/ skills to jobs DigitalWork NYC: Training program to increase awareness of online work opportunities that allow participants to earn money completing digital tasks (e.g., transcription, image tagging), build an employment history, and create a pathway towards digital jobs Learn as you Earn Advancement Program: Paid internships for Associate degree or certificate program candidates to obtain relevant, in-demand skills and work experience and wage alongside classroom training Immigrant Bridge Program: Increases earning potential of underemployed, foreign-trained immigrants with highdemand skills, such as STEM, through access to low-interest loans and career counseling, licensing pathways, and job placement services Support and help businesses and service providers Jobs and Economic Mobility Track in NYC BigApps: Brings together the tech and Community-Based Organization communities to develop open-source web solutions to better connect CBO s and the services they provide to their clients NYC Business Innovation Challenge: Dual-round, three-tiered competition (large, SME and micro-enterprises) to challenge businesses, non-profits and social entrepreneurs to unlock the potential in NYC s workforce and neighborhoods LIFT Entrepreneurship Program: Supports low-income entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses by (1) providing space and technical support, (2) access to loans, (3) partnerships with local anchors PROGRESS Networks: Develops consortia/ marketplace for SMEs to leverage scale to increase business profits in order to improve investments in their low-income workforce (e.g., better benefits and services) Vacant Lot Activation Program: Puts long-term vacant land to productive use by encouraging alternative economic uses on City owned vacant lots and expanding incentive programs to induce private development NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 13

14 Immigrants are disproportionately affected by the lack of income mobility, yet many have skills that can be leveraged to connect them to opportunities The Opportunity ~58K high-skilled immigrants in NYC are low-income, though a large subset is likely to be underemployed and internationally trained Many of these low wage immigrants possess in-demand skills in STEM, accounting and healthcare fields The Barriers Resources: insufficient financial resources and or time to invest in re-credentialing and career advancement Know how: misinformation on credentialing services, program services and career options Skills: lack of English skills and lack of access to upgrading technical skills Cultural orientation: lack of soft skills, social network and work experience in US context Sustainability: not-for-profit sector has limited resources to serve this population Immigrants are inextricably linked to New York City and its economy. You simply can t separate one from the other. Kyle Kimball, President NYCEDC 14 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

15 Promising international examples informed Immigrant Bridge program design Maytree Foundation/ Cities of Migration Immigrant Access Fund Ontario Bridge Training Programs initiatives/bridgetraining.shtml 15 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

16 The City s Immigrant Bridge Program leverages these models to meet the social and financial needs of participants 1. Case Management Component Program: provides assessment, career plan development, soft skill training and job placement assistance through a case management model Impact: enable internationally-trained immigrants in accounting/engineering on their path from a survival job or unemployment to a gateway job ($30K+ per year) in their area of expertise 2. Microloan Component Program: provides loans of ~$1-10K for immigrants with a case management aspect to help immigrants obtain hard skills, certification and or accreditation Impact: enable ~200 unemployed or underemployed internationally-trained immigrants to obtain gateway jobs ($30K+ per year) in their former area of expertise Immigrant Bridge Participants (Source: Deutsch Bank Newsletter, 2013) 16 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

17 Case Management Component Concept Case management style program helps participants navigate the process of re-entering their former fields. Community partners supply soft-skills programming and assist with job placement for participants. Workforce program partners use different service models and reach diverse populations Timeline Launched Fall 2012, with enrollment beginning in early 2013 Training through 2013 / early 2014 Program details Assessment and Intake - Eligibility criteria Unemployed or underemployed high-skilled immigrant NYC residency and legal to work in the U.S. A 4-year degree from their country of origin Appropriate English skills Commitment to achieving program goals - Workforce providers assess experience, job readiness, language skills, professional credentials, etc. Training - Soft skills: provides contextualized workplace language and cultural skills - Hard skills: provides referrals to outside training Work Experience - Provides referrals to workplace opportunities, such as internships, mentorships, apprenticeships, clinical placements and/or job shadowing. Employment Services - Provides employment services and support to participants including job search training, employment counseling, career counseling, etc., as well as guided assistance in securing a relevant job. NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 17

18 Microloan Component Concept Provide skilled immigrants the financial tools to support their transition to higher paying jobs. Timeline Launched in late August 2013 Program details Eligibility - Participant in Immigrant Bridge Workforce Program - Referral from Workforce Provider indicates that intended loan use aligns with individual career plan developed through the program Loan terms - Low interest loan (9.99%) - Loan amount of $1,000 - $10,000 - Payback over five years - Interest-only payments for the first year Funding purposes - Cost of necessary licensing exams - Training classes, and/or Funding model - Public funds pay for loan guarantee and a portion of program operating costs - To cover basic life expenses incurred through program participation (e.g., transit expenses, childcare costs, offsetting lost income, etc.). 18 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

19 Reflecting on Program Progress and Looking Ahead Loan review and approvals are in process Focusing on career planning with clients to identify career decisions that best leverage the loan Exploring opportunities to strengthen financial literacy component Career planning activities will continue through 2014 On track to meet job placement goals, though working with participants to realize longer-term goals Shifting employer perception aids job placement and has the potential to leverage program impact. Developing our understanding of employers, sectors, and human capital needs that best align with programs and policies to support skilled immigrants Immigrant Bridge participant, Jesus Benaventa (Source: NY Daily News, June 2, 2013) 19 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

20 Immigrant Bridge Program Miquela Craytor Director of Industrial and Income Mobility Initiatives, NYCEDC 20 NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

21 Why does International Talent Retention matter to Economic Development? What is LEAP? Regional Economic Development Agency for 3 counties surrounding the capital of Michigan. Exclusive regional organization recognized by the State of Michigan. What is Global Lansing? Coalition of citizens and business leaders looking to leverage and support international talent in our community. Officially formed in 2012 after many iterations of similar groups.

22 Why is this a priority for LEAP? Lots of jobs, not enough qualified talent Our employers are & will continue to hire high-skilled talent A diverse and talented workforce is the most important thing for Lansing to be a world-class city

23 Why does Global Lansing Exist? On the 2010 census, the Lansing-East Lansing MSA was one of only three communities in Michigan to see population growth Over the past year, the number of international students at Michigan State University, (Chinese undergraduates) has increased by 12%, which is higher than the previous year s increase

24 Getting Started Fellowship Program Michigan Economic Development Corporation gave grants to support programs that addressed the growth of an international population (Global Michigan) Utilizing our vast international student base, a program was created to better support and integrate this talent into our community through internships Program Goal: In connecting these international students with a local company, we can showcase our region s strengths and invite these students to see Lansing while gaining experience Outcomes: The program saw tremendous success through a modest cohort Allowed the Global Lansing program as a whole gain visibility and respect throughout the community

25 Other Global Lansing programs Support of International Students/Student Organizations Facilitated Student Focus Groups Support of local refugee population Collaboration with refugee support organizations/faith-based organizations Support of local foreign born entrepreneurs Translation of business plan template/guide Launch of International Protocol Network to support visiting delegation groups

26 SARA GRAHAM DIRECTOR, TALENT & COMMUNICATIONS, LANSING ECONOMIC AREA PARTNERSHIP (LEAP) MANAGER, GLOBAL LANSING (517)

27 Questions & Answers

28 CONTACT US S a r a G r a h a m L E A P s a r p u r e l a n s i n g. o r g M i q u e l a C r a y t o r N Y C E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t C o r p. m c r a y t o n y c e d c. c o m