Beyond Welcome: A Call For U.S. Employers to Champion Refugee Workers

Refugees have much to offer local employers: Recently arrived refugees and immigrants hold bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees at the same rates as their U.S.-born peers. They hold multilingual skills, diverse worldviews, and cross-cultural competencies – assets consistently linked to improved workplace communication, innovation, and bottom lines. Workers from refugee backgrounds stick with their employers longer than other hires and a vast majority are working-age adults. Employers, in turn, have a critical role to play in opening pathways for these individuals to connect with careers in high-demand, future-ready fields. In recent years, hundreds of U.S. companies have pledged to hire tens of thousands of refugees, a critical first step in fostering workforce inclusion. But there’s much more to be done: U.S. employers must also invest in mentoring, training, and upskilling for newcomer workers – including career-aligned English instruction, a proven catalyst for career and economic mobility.
This solutions-oriented panel discussion will cover what it means to not just hire refugees, but to also champion this talent. Panelists will share examples of successful on-site training, upskilling, and inclusion programs, equipping employers of all sizes with ideas and inspiration to advance equity and opportunity in local workforces and beyond.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will learn why a refugee hiring strategy can fill open roles, develop internal talent pipelines, and create an inclusive, multicultural, multilingual workforce.
• Explain how to support newcomers in the workplace so that they can thrive.
• Learn best practices for getting started with a refugee hiring strategy, including identifying roles and creating a sustainable earn-and-learn model