Texas: Catalyzing Statewide Synergies with SIIP
In 2019, a network of Texas-based adult educators led by the Texas Workforce Commission’s Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program joined the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) to ensure that the state’s adult education system was providing optimized support for its 894,000 college-educated immigrants and refugees, an estimated 21% of whom are unemployed or underemployed due to systemic barriers.
AEL’s goal was to create a statewide organizational partnership to facilitate internationally trained immigrants’ and refugees’ access to more comprehensive case management and career navigation support to rejoin their professions. In addition to advancing individuals’ economic mobility, the partnership could also help address critical staffing shortages throughout Texas: according to a 2019 survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, more than 7 in 10 businesses at the time were trying to fill open positions, 83% of which were struggling to find the right candidates.
Despite the significant contributions that internationally trained immigrants and refugees could have been making to the local workforce, the state’s approach to serving these individuals had so far been inconsistent and insufficient. AEL provided basic guidelines to a network of 36 adult education and literacy providers across Texas that received Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds, but each provider managed a local approach to serving immigrants and refugees. The lack of standardization led to inconsistent services and instruction that was generally not customized or contextualized according to best practices. On the other hand, career counseling rarely deviated from what was offered to all students, with minimal discussion about the unique experiences and barriers faced by internationally trained immigrant and refugee students specifically.
AEL leadership selected eight providers to engage in the SIIP cohort, believing that the surest way to improve service delivery was to empower providers to lead the change. The chosen partners represented different demographics and program models from across the state. They included:
- Ysleta Community Adult Learning Center, operating as the Far West Adult Education Consortium (FWAEC)
Building Statewide Synergies & Services
Working with SIIP, the Texas cohort created a community of practice committed to raising awareness about internationally trained immigrants and refugees and establishing a consistent approach to case management and career navigation.
The partners created a centralized portal with resources for both students and service providers, including career pathways guides, a series of statewide webinars for adult education providers, a Train of Trainers (TOT) professional development component, and instructor webinars to support contextualized English language instruction. With these tools, AEL equipped adult education providers across the state to effectively assess immigrant and refugees’ prior skills and support their education and career goals. “In 2018 and 2019, several programs had just a handful of skilled immigrants receiving services,” said a Texas SIIP cohort member. “Two years later, we’ve done a much more thorough job identifying English-language learners with higher education degrees, and nearly all programs have expanded services for them.”
The Texas cohort has since developed from a partnership between separate, siloed grantees to a cohesive group called Synergy Texas, a network committed to advancing a vision of a “Texas in which all internationally trained professionals are thriving economically.” It has established workgroups with strategic focuses, including employer partnerships, career navigation, and data analysis. Adult education and literacy providers in the network also serve as ambassadors to other providers around the state, helping to develop resources and disseminate information.
Looking Ahead in Texas
Synergy Texas plans to expand its efforts on both the local and state levels, including greater outreach to and education for potential workforce development partners. Locally, it seeks to broaden impact through engagement with workforce boards, employers, and centralized services for internationally trained immigrants and refugees at community colleges. For example, the Region 5 Education Services Center, based in Beaumont, is preparing to open a Welcoming Center at a local community college.
On the state level, Synergy Texas partners will continue to share their expertise with other adult education and literacy providers across Texas by including more guidance on contextualized language instruction, civic education, and career navigation for immigrant workforce inclusion. By continuing to build and strengthen partnerships across the state, Synergy Texas hopes to grow the network to include even more partners committed to its shared mission.
Building on its SIIP experience, Synergy Texas has become a blueprint for other locations committed to building stronger workforces by advancing immigrant and refugee inclusion. Learn how your community can participate in a future SIIP cohort.
