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.
“This program is going to change lives,” said Sean Armstrong, dean of CAPS. “We have made a long-term commitment to provide refugees with the tools and support needed to succeed in emerging jobs across the region.”
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.
“Many refugees are highly educated and skilled, but they lack language skills and general cultural capital to move into a better job,” said Katie Blackburn Brown, program manager at CAPS. “Refugees and their families suffer as a result and so does the St. Louis community, which needs talented people in these roles.”
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.
What we learned is that there is a gap here, and across the country, in programs that provide those higher-level skills that can serve as a bridge to the next opportunity. … By creating a tailored, cohort-based experience and providing support and mentorship, we believe WashU can be a model.
Katie Blackburn Brown
Before launching the Empower program, Brown wanted to make sure WashU would contribute to — not duplicate — existing efforts by St. Louis’ Immigrant Service Providers Network, of which WashU is a member. She said many local organizations already do a great job connecting immigrants and refugees to housing and employment and teaching basic language skills.
“What we learned is that there is a gap here, and across the country, in programs that provide those higher-level skills that can serve as a bridge to the next opportunity,” Brown said. “And the programs that do exist in the U.S. certainly aren’t tuition-free. By creating a tailored, cohort-based experience and providing support and mentorship, we believe WashU can be a model.”
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.
Jodie Lloyd, director of business development and school initiatives at CAPS, is hopeful that some Empower graduates will find positions at WashU, the region’s second-largest employer. Those jobs include exceptional benefits and free CAPS tuition.
“Once you have a step in the door, you can come back and get that next certificate or that degree,” Lloyd said. “At our core, that’s what CAPS is about — providing pathways, especially to people in our region who don’t have access to higher education.”
