The Western Union Foundation is proud to support immigrants, in recognition of Immigrant Heritage Month, and all year long. Immigrants bring great contributions to society but are often left behind as they work to integrate into their new communities. We work with nonprofits around the globe to provide the skills and support to immigrants, so that they succeed, and economies grow. Over the past five years, the Western Union Foundation’s partnership with Upwardly Global has helped nearly 4,000 immigrant and refugee professionals integrate into the U.S. workforce.
Upwardly Global is motivated by their visions of an equitable, more welcome nation where everyone – including immigrants, refugees, and asylees – can fully contribute and thrive. The U.S. has long been powered by the ambitions of generations of diverse workers. But today, unequal access to opportunity limits the contributions of many. Nearly two million immigrants and refugees have work authorization, college degrees, and in-demand skills to contribute, but they remain unemployed or underemployed.
We know that newcomers hit systemic barriers as they seek to rebuild their careers in the U.S. They arrive without professional networks, face discrimination and misperceptions about their credentials and experience. Meanwhile, U.S. employers struggle to find workers to fill in-demand jobs in sectors such as healthcare, IT, and engineering. Upwardly Global addresses these disparities in access to opportunity to power our economy forward.
Upwardly Global’s skill-building and networking programs advance equity, power the workforce, and champion human potential. We provide tailored tools and resources to help work-authorized immigrant and refugee professionals adapt their experience, education, and credentials for the U.S. workforce. To date, Upwardly Global has trained nearly 14,000 people, adding $252 million to the economy each year.
Meet Jacqueline. She worked for the United States Agency for International Development in Uganda. She was awarded an immigrant Visa to come to the U.S. because of her excellent service with the U.S. government through USAID and wanted to provide her three teenage children the best chance to achieve their dreams. However, when she arrived in Washington D.C., she did not receive any response from employers, despite her 15 years of experience in international development. She learned about Upwardly Global where her coach helped her with a resume, cover letter, and job search strategy. The very next week she started getting phone interviews and was soon hired as a Risk Management Specialist by a leading international development company.
When you help another individual you grow yourself, in ways you will never understand. It's important that as I succeed in my life that I should be able to give back to others and make the world a better place. That is really my mantra
Jacqueline is one of many that Upwardly Global has helped achieve employment so they can have a better life for themselves and their families.
Wonder how you can get involved and support this mission?
- Your company can connect to this pool of global talent
- You can volunteer your time to support job seekers
- You can advocate with your own voice
