WES is committed to creating more equitable and inclusive workforces and economies that fully recognize and champion the credentials, education, and experience of immigrants and refugees — and engaging states and local communities is central to this work.
Through two programs — the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) and the SIIP Demonstration Opportunity — WES offers technical assistance, coaching, and network building to support state and local governments, non-profit organizations, community colleges, and other stakeholders in building and scaling promising practices in immigrant and refugee workforce inclusion.
The WES U.S. state and local team is also a co-convener of the Office of New Americans Network, a forum for state policy leaders to drive positive change that supports immigrant integration into the workforce and economy.
Map of the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program Communities
The Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) supports cities, regions, and states in advancing the inclusion of internationally trained and experienced immigrants and refugees. Since its launch in 2017, 40 SIIP communities — from Alaska to Maine to Texas — have benefited from the program’s customized training, coaching, and technical assistance to advance sustainable state and local inclusion efforts.
Communities selected to participate in this competitive program are convened by a lead agency that coordinates with a local network of multi-sector stakeholders and demonstrates a commitment to fostering the career success of immigrants and refugees. To date, SIIP has engaged five cohorts of communities in the program.
The Annual SIIP Convening
The sixth annual SIIP Convening was attended by over 100 individuals comprising representatives from 30 SIIP communities, members of WES Canada’s #ImmigrantsWork network, technical assistance providers, national experts on workforce development, and WES staff. Attendees hailed from a variety of sectors, including local and state governments, community colleges, employers, and direct service providers.
It was really great to network with and learn from people across multiple sectors who are committed to reducing barriers for immigrants and refugees to re-enter their professional fields.
Kendall Archer, Jewish Family Service of Seattle
[The SIIP Convening] was rich with learning, networking, and talking with professionals who care about similar issues as myself.
Heather Webster, Global Talent Idaho
This was my first experience at a SIIP Convening and I was very pleased with the entire experience, especially learning about shared experiences in our field as well as gaining insight from those who have accomplished exceptional work in their communities and field.
Vivan Marin, Louisville Office of Immigrant Affairs
Meet the 2023–2024 Cohort
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
North Dakota Department of Commerce, Workforce Development Division, Office of Legal Immigration
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Bureau of Refugee Programs
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
The 14 sites in SIIP’s sixth cohort represent a combination of new communities and SIIP Network alumni communities that are committed to advancing the workforce inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the U.S., including:
Participants in the 2023-2024 program are divided into three subcohorts focused on the following themes: Developing Initiatives in the Field of Immigrant and Refugee Economic Inclusion, Creating Strategies to Promote Employer Engagement, and the SIIP Alumni Exchange.
The SIIP Demonstration Opportunity further advances investments in WES U.S. partners and SIIP alumni organizations’ efforts to develop promising workforce inclusion initiatives.
After providing expertise and coaching to 40 SIIP alumni/partner communities, WES is deepening investments in engaged organizations that are demonstrating innovative approaches to promoting immigrant and refugee workforce inclusion. SIIP Demonstration Opportunity participants receive technical and financial assistance to increase their impact and advance their capacity to develop programs with potential for replication throughout the U.S.
Proposals focused on bridging initiatives for internationally trained educators — an area with high demand for promising programs and initiatives that can be implemented at scale.
The three selected partner organizations:
Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Equity – City of Tulsa
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Boise, Idaho & Salt Lake City, Utah
Idaho and Utah have been significant refugee resettlement hubs for decades, but recent federal restrictions have resulted in sharply decreased arrivals and new challenges to local workplace development programming. With the help of SIIP, Idaho’s Global Talent and Utah’s One Refugee were able to form and lead an effective cross-regional cohort to expand workplace development programming, advance coaching services, and build support and awareness for the challenges faced by internationally educated refugees in the area.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Buffalo, New York
Continuing a hundred years of experience championing local immigrants and refugees, the International Institute of Buffalo (IIB) partnered with SIIP to better serve the growing population of immigrants in Buffalo, which represented more than 10 percent of the city’s population in 2020.With the help of SIIP, the IIB was able to create a series of career pathways guides, form a partnership with the WES Gateway Program, and establish a new mentoring program to help immigrants and refugees network with local professionals in their fields.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Lincoln, Nebraska
To better serve their growing numbers of internationally trained refugee and migrant arrivals, Lincoln, Nebraska’s New American Task Force (NATF) and EmployLNKpartnered together to join the SIIP in 2019. Starting with a first-of-its-kind community survey and subsequent extensive career guides, the partners’ work eventually expanded into the impressive CareerLadder Project designed to connect individuals with technical assistance and in-demand jobs. Lincoln’s SIIP cohort has made other significant partnerships since then, working on positioning CareerLadder as a statewide resource and continuing their important work in creating a more inclusive workforce in Nebraska.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Louisville, Kentucky
When Louisville-based organizations joined SIIP in 2017, the region was struggling to fill 30,000 open jobs and establish robust employment training programs focused on immigrant workforce inclusion, despite being home to over 75,000 immigrants and refugees. SIIP helped these organizations bridge the gap by strengthening the partnership of the cohort and enabling them to secure long-term financial support for re-credentialing and training efforts,ultimately working to open several career pathways for internationally trained individuals in the region.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Nevada
Immigrants and refugees make up nearly 20% of Nevada’s population, but nearly 40% of internationally educated individuals are unemployed or underemployed. To help rectify this, Nevada’s Governor’s Office of New Americans and joined SIIP in 2020 to help establish the Immigrant Workforce Development Group (IWDG), a partnership of several local agencies and stakeholders, to develop a two-year plan for greater coordination, funding and programmingacross the state andshine a spotlight on immigrants and refugees with international degrees.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Portland, Maine
Faced with an aging population and acute labor shortages, the Portland Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) joined SIIP in 2018 to boost economic inclusion of the growing population of immigrants and refugees acrossMaine. The OEO was able to make significant strides in addressing prominent licensing and certification barriers, establishing a strong mentorship program, and even passingnotable legislation focused on immigrant recruitment, retention, and employment. The efforts of OEO and SIIP together ultimately positioned Maine as a leader in immigrant and refugee inclusion.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
St. Louis, Missouri
Home to one of the country’s fastest-growing immigrant and refugee populationsin the country, St. Louis recognized an important gap in the underemployment of internationally trained refugees and immigrants and the opportunity to boost their local economy. The International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL) joined SIIP to help address systemic barriers to immigrant and refugeeemployment, launchingtwo career pathways programs and an extensive public education campaign and bringing together local and national stakeholders in efforts to facilitate immigrant workforce inclusion.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Texas
When Texas’ Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program selected a group of adult educators to join SIIP in 2019, they had a clear goal in mind: to bridge the gap between the over 100,000 underemployed immigrants and refugeesand the many Texas businesses struggling to fill a gap in employment. With SIIP’s help, AEL was able to create a streamlined resource hub for both students and service providers, and eventually formed a strong partnership called Synergy Texas, a group dedicated to facilitating the employment of internationally educated people across the state.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Michigan
Michigan’s Office of Global Michigan has taken a proactive approach to promote workforce inclusion for immigrants and refugees, including the creation of resources such as occupational licensing guides and collaborating with other agencies and organizations. The Office of Global Michigan’s involvement in national initiatives like SIIP has positioned the state as a lead example in promoting immigrant and refugee workforce inclusion by increasing equity in hiring practices and facilitating employment connections between state agencies and immigrant and refugee job seekers.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
African Bridge Network (ABN) and The International Medical Graduates Academy (TIMGA)
SIIP partners African Bridge Network and the International Medical Graduates Academy are actively working to integrate internationally trained health care professionals into the U.S. workforce, addressing significant shortages in the sector. Through tailored training and support, they help these individuals overcome barriers to employment and contribute their valuable skills to the health care system.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
States Using Federal Funding To Make Credential Evaluations Accessible
Three SIIP participants in Texas, Nevada, and Idaho have used a variety of federal and state statutes and existing funding structures to fully pay for credential evaluations for their internationally educated immigrant and refugee clients. These examples demonstrate SIIP participants’ ingenuity in effectively directing existing and available federal and state dollars.
Success Stories from Previous SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity Cohorts
The 40+ communities in the SIIP and SIIP Demonstration Opportunity networks took full advantage of the partnerships and resources to develop and execute plans to advance their immigration and refugee inclusion efforts. Read more about how SIIP alumni and partners succeeded in fostering employer engagement, local and regional partnership building, and engaging community colleges.
Celebrating the Completion of the SIIP 2022-2023 Program Year
In early August 2023, the 2022-2023 SIIP cohort held its final quarterly call, culminating the successful launch of a new iteration of the program’s structure. The 16 participating communities collaborated in sub-cohorts that centered on four thematic focus areas: Advancing and Retaining Internationally Skilled Employees, Creating Career Navigation Tools and Resources, Developing Contextualized Digital Skills Opportunities, and Workforce Board Partnerships. This new SIIP structure created intimate communities of practice, uniting cities, regions, and states working on similar initiatives to support internationally trained and educated immigrants and refugees.
Learn More about SIIP and the SIIP Demonstration Opportunity
Any community interested in creating resources and/or programs to promote the economic inclusion and full workforce participation of internationally trained and educated immigrants and refugees can apply to join the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP). Communities interested in applying should include a strong lead agency to take responsibility for coalescing, convening, and supporting the work with WES Global Talent Bridge and technical assistance providers. Previous lead agencies have included city government, state government, workforce boards, community colleges, non-profits, and CBOs. Participation in the program requires a robust network of multi-sector stakeholders with a commitment to engage as a community of practice, both during and after the conclusion of the program.
Over the course of the program year, WES Global Talent Bridge and other national experts provide each of the selected communities with hands-on coaching, advising, and technical assistance as well as four interactive web-based training sessions on immigrant and refugee economic inclusion. Additional support and training are provided at an in-person convening, where participants can learn more about local, statewide, and national program models and best practices and engage in round-table work sessions to move forward with their goals.
In addition to the above, participants in the SIIP Demonstration Opportunity receive direct funding and more dedicated technical assistance with providers of their choosing.
Communities participating in SIIP and the SIIP Demonstration Opportunity are:
Provided a framework based on tangible goals and a condensed timeline within which these communities can form new partnerships and strengthen existing relationships
Assisted in developing new resources and in planning convenings to share resources and strategies that improve the career advancement opportunities of internationally educated immigrants
Given access to a national network with the goal of improving local resources by sharing best practices and providing mutual inspiration to try new approaches
Able to deepen connections with peers and form new alliances to revitalize initiatives and engage government and community stakeholders
Communities participating in the SIIP program year meet with their subcohorts virtually once a month and quarterly as a full cohort, and in a SIIP network training also held quarterly that is open to all communities past and present. Apart from these virtual meetings, all SIIP communities are invited to attend an annual in-person national convening.
Communities have an opportunity to apply for the SIIP program year each summer. Applications for the SIIP Demonstration Opportunity are open to SIIP alumni and selected WES partner organizations and open every year and a half. Sign up on our website to receive the latest application updates and to learn more.
Meet the WES SIIP Team
Director II, State and Local Initiatives
Katherine Gebremedhin
Director II, State and Local Initiatives
Katherine Gebremedhin is the Director of State and Local Initiatives at World Education Services (WES) Global Talent Bridge. She has extensive experience developing and leading multi-sector networks and programming focused on the integration of internationally trained immigrants and refugees. Katherine currently leads WES’s Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP), a robust community of practice of 40 communities working to further state and local inclusion initiatives. Katherine also co-convenes (with partners, AIC) the Office of New Americans (ONA) Network, which provides a forum for state policy leaders to drive positive change that supports immigrant and refugee integration into the workforce and economy.
Program Manager, State and Local Networks
Lety Farrera
Program Manager, State and Local Networks
Leticia “Lety” Farrera is the daughter of two internationally trained professionals (ITP) and has dedicated her career to opening up opportunities for ITPs and their families. She has 10 years of Higher Education and Adult Education experience and now serves as the SIIP Program Manager for WES.
Senior Program Manager, State and Local Strategic Initiatives
Mikaela Santos
Senior Program Manager, State and Local Strategic Initiatives
Mikaela Santos is the daughter of Filipino immigrants and is passionate about using data and research to inform decision making and advocate for change. She has 10 years of experience in data analysis and project management at various nonprofits, research centers, and school districts and is now a Senior Program Manager for WES SIIP Demonstration Opportunity.
Program Specialist, State and Local Networks
Trevor Shealy
Program Specialist, State and Local Networks
Trevor Shealy is a Program Specialist at WES, working closely with the SIIP Alumni Network. Prior to this role, he supported immigrants and refugees as the Senior Program and Administrative Coordinator for WES and has previously worked with several of WES Global Talent Bridge’s partners in support of immigrant and refugee inclusion at local, state, national, and international levels. A highlight of Trevor’s career is interpreting (Arabic and Persian) for recently resettled refugees in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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