Recommendations for Workforce and Employment

To assist employers with making the needed changes to their business procedures so they can better hire and retain members from immigrant communities, the region should develop toolkits and/or a consulting capacity to help with changes and recommendations. This capacity could then be used by interested employers to institute new policies and practices and to gain connections to local immigrant populations. It would also help create work environments where immigrant employees can thrive and be successful. And by making the changes at the employer level, it reduces the reliance on individual employees gaining the necessary skills to be more employable (language skills, “soft skills,” etc.). It may be easier and less resource intensive for one employer to adapt their policies than for a dozen potential employees to significantly improve their English skills, for example.

Examples of the services and benefits offered by the toolkit/capacity include:

• Directions for how to modify job postings, safety manuals, job instructions, and other important documents into different languages.
• Analysis of how a company might be able to successfully pair a bilingual employee with several other employees who are not proficient in English.
• Education on unknown cultural differences that could cause friction if not identified.
• Suggested changes in policies or procedures that will limit immigrant employee attrition.
• Recommendations for communication plans and other policies to help ensure that needed changes are adopted throughout the business.
• Explanations of legal or document requirements, and how the business can best support their new employee in these areas.

It is likely that the details of the toolkit or training would need to be specifically tailored to the immigrant group in question (recruiting employees from the Latino community is different than recruiting from Afghan refugees). NICC has some ability to do this kind of work with local businesses, but a more extensive and formal capacity should be developed that local employers can utilize.

Models to consider:

• Several local employers have already successfully made some of these changes and could serve as excellent templates for any toolkit. Examples include:
  • Guttenberg Industries in Garnavillo successfully revised their policies and processes in order to hire from the local Latino community.
  • Hormel Foods and other food processing companies have had success in Dubuque employing Marshallese workers.
  • During focus group sessions, both Romper Stompers Child Care Center and Miracle Carwash on Dodge St. were identified as good at working with Marshallese employees.

This recommendation also appears as Recommendation 3 under Capacity and Power Building

One of the key assets located in this region’s immigrant communities are dedicated volunteers. Many of the key leaders, connectors, and translators working to support immigrant communities are volunteers who put in long hours to help improve their communities. They are often trusted both by community members and local nonprofit organizations, and serve as a key point of outreach and input. These volunteers should be acknowledged and celebrated for their work.

Yet such reliance on volunteers is not ideal. Rarely are they compensated for their efforts, which means that they often work other jobs to support themselves, leaving limited time to help other community members, attend meetings, etc. Many are also untrained regarding the systems and institutions they are connecting to and may lack information about how best to efficiently direct other immigrants to services. These factors create bottlenecks around connections between immigrant communities and service organizations and increase the likelihood of misinformation and navigational challenges.

One program that has been successful in helping address some of these issues is a “Natural Helper” program. In a Natural Helper program, key volunteers (who are usually multilingual) are trained on local systems and services and are often provided with greater access to local resources and important connections. They are also compensated for their participation in this program, which might include stipends, recognition, and certificates or credentials from local educational institutions that can be valuable for their careers. The volunteers then agree to remain a part of the program for a period of time (often at least a year) after receiving their training.

Natural Helper programs connect key volunteers with local institutions, provide them with training and clear resources for answering questions, and then work to compensate them for their involvement. These programs have also been found to give many participants a greater sense of belonging to where they live and a sense of connection to local organizations and service providers. It is also a good way to identify leaders for additional civic participation, such as taking roles on boards or advisory committees.

Establishing and resourcing a natural helper program can provide a more formal structure to the frequent work done through immigrant volunteer leaders and can improve the services provided through those leaders. It also helps recognize and compensate dedicated volunteers, which can increase their satisfaction and participation and encourage others to step into leadership roles. 

Natural helpers could be particularly beneficial for connecting immigrants to workforce opportunities, as demonstrated  by a new local pilot program (see “Models to consider”).

Models to consider:

• Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is currently developing a pilot program aimed at training and compensating individuals from underserved populations so that they can connect members of their community with job training opportunities. This includes working with members of immigrant populations. The NICC pilot program, which is still in development, goes beyond many other models listed in this report by providing stipends for trainings and financial incentives for each individual who is successfully connected to an NICC program. The combination of empowering individuals to serve their community and compensating them for their time and effort is an exciting design that should be supported by the community.
• City of Portland, ME – Office of Economic Opportunity: The City of Portland runs a Natural Helpers Leadership Program that trains Natural Helpers to better support their communities. The program provides participants with a stipend, and partners with the University of Southern Maine to provide everyone with a credential (previously a certificate, now a “badge”).
  • https://www.portlandofopportunity.com/natural-helpers
• Immigrant Welcome Center: The Immigrant Welcome Center in Indianapolis utilizes a Natural Helper program.
  • https://www.immigrantwelcomecenter.org/get-involved/volunteer/
• Welcoming America Community of Practice: Welcoming America has previously launched a community of practice to provide additional support to communities developing Natural Helper programs.
  • https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CyeetO8scAunaLQCpm0bCebgN2lnPLWPSwuF_NjDwYI/edit#

A local success story around workforce development is NICC’s Success Coach model, which utilizes people with relationships and lived experiences to connect to underserved populations and help them navigate workforce development programs. NICC has recently worked to bring on Success Coaches and other staff focused specifically on extending this model to immigrant population. This use of navigators has found success for a number of local health-care organizations, and has the potential to create a similar benefit for workforce programs. 

Models to consider:

• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has employed Latino staff who work as navigators supporting immigrant entrepreneurs in rural communities.
  • https://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/latino-business-and-community-development

One existing bottleneck for many immigrants looking to gain additional skills is the reliance on English proficiency to take workforce training courses. While some workforce trainings are offered in languages other than English, many are not. This can be a significant limitation for immigrant jobseekers, as it requires them to first successfully take English language courses before they can be upskilled for employment. But gaining proficiency in English can take time, and for immigrant members who have multiple other responsibilities like working or raising a family, gaining the necessary English skills can seem like an impossible task.

Being able to offer trainings in languages other than English can allow immigrants to gain new skills and education without first relying on them completing English proficiency classes. However, to ensure that participants who graduate from these programs are successful, this should be paired with the recommendation 1. Develop Employer Toolkits and Assistance.

Models to consider:

• The technology company EnGen focuses on providing language instruction for potential workers that is centered around their area of study. The goal is to focus on developing the language proficiency needed to be employed in that position, instead of a broader English proficiency.
  • www.getEnGen.com

The AmeriCorps[1] program has provided local institutions (including the Community Foundation) with additional support from hard working graduates interested in helping meet community needs. Recently, EMBARC in Des Moines has begun administering another AmeriCorps program called RISE AmeriCorps,[2] which is focused on pairing AmeriCorps “members” who are immigrants with non-profits that serve immigrant communities. The program is primarily focused on education and workforce development, and provides AmeriCorps members with a living allowance as well as some funding for future education. A program like this could be a great way to utilize young people with language skills to help serve local immigrant communities.

However, implementing this program in Dubuque could raise several challenges, which would be important to consider before pursuing this program:

• The RISE program often recruits members from around the state with appropriate language skills to be able to engage with immigrant populations. In Dubuque, this would be most useful for engaging with Spanish-speaking communities. However, because of the relative scarcity of people around the state who speak Marshallese and Mayan dialects like Ixil, any program focused on the Marshallese or Guatemalan communities might be best served by identifying a candidate from within Dubuque.
• The compensation for the RISE program is focused primarily on providing a living allowance, totaling a maximum of $19,000 for the year, with the potential for a $6,000 scholarship for future education. This compensation may not be enough to attract many local immigrant young people, who often face intense pressure to earn a living and support themselves or family members. Additional compensation options should potentially be considered, including:
  • Publicizing the position to make it more prestigious.
  • Connecting the position to potential future employment, or creating numerous opportunities for networking and building connections with local employers.
  • Host organizations are able to provide “retention bonuses” or “performance bonuses” that could help increase the compensation and make the position more attractive.

This recommendation also appears as Recommendation 5 under Education and Youth Support

Providing immigrant students with clear pathways to family-sustaining careers should be a priority. Enabling immigrant students to pursue education and training that will connect them to high-paying, quality jobs will be a powerful driver in improving the livelihoods of immigrant families and boosting local economic growth. With immigrant populations being some of the fastest growing demographics in the region, it is critical that young people are able to be quickly and seamlessly connected to good jobs.

A population that should receive specific attention is local Guatemalan Unaccompanied Minors. A recent change now allows individuals with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) – a temporary status often pursued by Guatemalan unaccompanied minors – to get work authorizations. This is an important change, as it will allow many of these individuals to financially support themselves while they continue their court case. Because many of these individuals will be under the age of 18, it is very important that the community should engage with them and support them around work and career opportunities. Connecting these individuals to safe and well-paying jobs, as well as training and education that can lead to good career opportunities, is important for supporting this population and helping to provide a sustainable economic future. 

Some local organizations (including NICC, the Dubuque Community School District, and Tri-State VIATS) are already working on how to best engage and support these students. This work should be continued, with an emphasis put on skills training programs for those students who are struggling to get their high school degree. Previous education levels can vary significantly for unaccompanied minors who come to Dubuque, and so helping connect those who are struggling with good career opportunities is important.

There are also other potential options that should be considered when it comes to developing education and workforce training programs for these SIJS recipients:

• Pair the unaccompanied minors, and especially girls who may face greater barriers to obtaining well-paying career opportunities, with appropriate mentors in their field of study. For example, if Guatemalan girls are considering NICC’s welding program, connecting them with a female welder from a local business who can provide additional support could provide a valuable asset in helping the participant complete their training program.
• Utilize a “Guatemalan Mentor” position to help focus on career opportunities for students still in school. The Guatemalan Mentor position is described in more detail in the Education and Youth Support section.

A challenge for this community will be to help these SIJS recipients, many of whom are still in high school, to balance the need to work with the need to study for school and improve their English. An area for future consideration would be designing a “fellowship” or work program where students were paid a living wage, learned a skill on the job, and were provided with time and support for schoolwork and/or English lessons. Such a program would need a strong host organization and would likely require additional financial support.

Dubuque’s higher education institutions are a major asset for the region, and the international students who study there are an important and valuable part of this community. Being able to retain those students and have them work and live in the region should be a local goal. However, there are a number of barriers that limit the ability of international students to build long-term careers in Dubuque. In addition to a frequent disconnect between international students and the larger Dubuque community, the process for granting graduating students a work visa to work for Dubuque companies (most commonly the H-1B Visa) can be challenging to complete, often requiring the assistance of an immigration attorney. Many companies who would be interested in retaining international students are unable to do so because of the complicated process or the fees that are involved. On top of this, only a certain number of H-1B visas are released each year, meaning that students and companies that do go through the process are not guaranteed to be successful.[3]

H-1B Visas

H-1B visas are one of the primary ways that immigrants with a bachelor’s degree or higher are able to gain authorization to work for U.S. companies. To sponsor an immigrant for an H-1B visa, a company must demonstrate that they are unable to fill the position through non-immigrant candidates and must go through a lengthy application process. H-1B visas can lead to permanent legal residence (green cards).

Only 85,000 H-1B visas are made available each year. In FY2023 the U.S. government received 483,927 registrations, meaning that only 17.6% of registrations were met by the available cap space. Completing H-1B visas also appears to be more challenging for smaller communities. In an analysis of FY2021 H-1B visa activity in the U.S., Dubuque accounted for less than 0.002% of H-1B worker activity, or 6.33% of what would be expected given the size of the population.

Establishing a local resource focused around retaining international students could address some of these issues. Such a resource could help support international students, assist businesses with navigating the H-1B process, and work to create connections between international students and local employers. Potential areas of focus include:

• Building relationships with international students and connecting them with local businesses and local cultural activities.
• Advocating for increased use of OPT authorization and providing information to both students and businesses interested in this option.

The Optional Practical Training (OPT) program allows a student graduating with a bachelor, masters, or doctoral degree to work full-time in the United States for up to 12 months for a non-STEM[4] degree holder or 36 months for a STEM degree holder. While 12 months is a limited time frame, this pathway allows for a much easier connection for graduating students and businesses, as well as creating time for students to access a longer-term visa through the H-1B process or another route (such as marriage or family petitions).

• Providing resources and advice to businesses looking to hire international students, such as referrals to immigration attorneys to help with the H-1B process.
• Granting funding to help cover fee costs for either students or businesses that may be otherwise discouraged from pursuing an H-1B visa.

Such a resource could be provided by a government entity or a local organization focused on workforce development or immigration. It could also potentially be provided by a collaborative group of organizations – including those focused on education, workforce, and immigration – in order to develop collective resources and a shared expertise.

Models to consider:

• The Michigan Global Talent Retention Initiative (GTRI) has dedicated staff that work to retain international students in the state. GTRI engages with both employers and students, promotes awareness of opportunities, and works to create a welcoming environment for international students within the local business community.
  • https://globaldetroitmi.org/gtri/
• The St. Louis Mosaic Project is a collective effort that builds partnerships with businesses, universities, and other key stakeholders in order to connect foreign students with local businesses.
  • https://www.stlmosaicproject.org/

[1] https://americorps.gov/ 

[2] https://www.embarciowa.org/services/rise-program 

[3] Numbers for number of FY2023 H-1B registrations are available https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-and-fashion-models/h-1b-electronic-registration-process. FY2021 visa activity rates were calculated using number of total worker positions for H-1B visas from the LCA Disclosure Data for FY2021, available at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/performance 

[4] STEM refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

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