At The Immigrant Learning Center (The ILC), we recognize that every part of the job seeking process, from finding job openings to filling out applications to interviewing and following up with a hiring manager, can present extra challenges for immigrants who don’t understand systems in the United States or might not speak English well.
Sometimes, our students learn this the hard way. Angel had a long career as a financial auditor in the Dominican Republic and had a passion for teaching young people. None of that seemed to matter in the United States without recognition of his degree, professional licenses or, most importantly, a good grasp of English. It left Angel feeling discouraged.
“I wasn’t able to speak nothing, and that was hard because I needed to do many things to stay [in the U.S.], to do what I need to do,” he described.
First and foremost, Angel knew he had to learn English, and in May he enrolled at The ILC. After attending English classes five days a week here Angel’s pronunciation and comprehension dramatically improved.
In addition to building stronger English skills, he also received support for his job search. The ILC career advisors helped him prepare his resume, practice interviewing and look for jobs that aligned with his goals. He wanted to build on his experience as a literacy teacher and use his former career as a financial auditor to find accounting work.
Angel now has two jobs! One is as a substitute teacher and the other is at Target, where he can save money for an accounting program he wants to take next year. He has a newfound sense of confidence and optimism about his future, and he continues to surprise himself with his growing English skills.
Give the Gift of a Bright Future
With your gift, students like Angel can build their confidence and start thriving.
I’m very grateful to The ILC because when I got here, I wasn’t able to speak in the way. [Now] I can understand all that my boss told me and I do all that I need to do. That’s very important.”
— Angel
There is often a knowledge gap for immigrants who want to navigate the American job market. The Immigrant Learning Center provides the tools our students need to learn English and find work that lets them thrive.