Washington University in St. Louis is launching Empower: Career Success for Refugees, a 26-week program to help refugees develop next-level language and professional skills to succeed in health care and other high-demand industries.
The program will be offered at no cost through WashU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) and will take place at the Delmar Divine, home to a growing number of health, education and human service organizations.
Applicants must have legal refugee status, basic English skills and a high school education. Students will gain applied language skills as they work toward a certificate in health care or another CAPS program such as geographic information systems, data analytics and project management. CAPS will provide all course materials, including laptops. Classes will take place two nights a week.
A state grant is funding the program’s 18-month rollout. After that, Washington University will assume all costs thanks to a $10 million donation from a university donor.
The St. Louis Mosaic Project, a leading nonprofit committed to promoting regional prosperity through immigration, is partnering with CAPS, publicizing the Empower program to the refugee community and helping students build resumes and apply for jobs. WashU staff also will work one-on-one with job seekers and track their success.
The Immigration and Refugee News Digest 