Working with New Americans: From Recruiting to Upskilling Webinar Series
Over 80% of Colorado’s 570,000+ New Americans are of working age, and 32% of New Americans aged 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced degree.
To support employers with harnessing the potential of this talent pool, the Office of New Americans has created a free webinar and training series titled, “Working with New Americans: From Recruiting to Upskilling.” Each episode covers foundational strategies and lists action steps per topic. The concepts in this series will serve employers from small to large and in any industry. Reach out to anthony.cherwinski@state.co.us with questions about establishing New American hiring initiatives or improving current strategies to support New American employees at your company.
Part One: Introduction and Recruiting
In Part 1 of this webinar series, key takeaways include:
Recruiting
1. Identify New American serving community based organizations in your area and contact them.
- Search engine query, “Refugee and immigrant serving community organizations” specific to your area.
2. Establish contact with state-driven workforce centers
3. Attend job fairs that target New Americans
Part Two: Applications, Interviewing, and Onboarding
In Part 2 of this webinar series, key takeaways include:
Applications and Interviewing
1. Applicant tracking systems
- Audit your metrics with an equity lens
2. Job descriptions
- Language Access
- Use plain language if English is required, specifically identify the language need in the job description
3. Consider years of experience & equivalency
4. Consider different interview styles
- Paid working interviews
- Behavior based interviews
- Show the job before you offer the job
Part Three: Managing and Upskilling
In Part 3 of this webinar series, key takeaways include:
Managing
1. Establish a mentor or buddy system
2. Create a “check-in” timeline for supervisors
3. Provide interpretation or translation when needed for trainings and safety
4. Establish employee resource groups
5. Language Access
- Translate signage
- Use images
- Color coding
Upskilling
1. Provide English language learning programs
- There are free options such as the Virtual Career-Aligned English as a Second Language Program!
2. Communicate advancement opportunities through multiple mediums
3. Offer schedule flexibility to support advancement
4. Tap into your existing team!
- Review experience and backgrounds of existing employees!
Resources
The New American Tool Kit
Do you work with and/or serve New Americans? If so, you'll want to read The New American Toolkit, which provides resources you can use to advance your work, including:
Background on Colorado's New Americans and their economic contributions to the state Funding opportunities to improve workforce development opportunities for New Americans Glossary of terms, including laws and legislation information on program eligibility and more!
The Toolkit was developed by the Office of New Americans, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the Colorado Workforce Development Council, and the Colorado Refugee Services Program.
