Many participants want to continue the careers they had back home or pursue new ones but don’t know where to start. 

The International Rescue Committee in New Jersey’s (IRC NJ) Refugee Career Pathway (RCP) program helps with just that! From October 2023 through September 2024, the IRC NJ supported 56 enrolled Afghan clients, providing them with career development advising sessions, mock interviews, credential evaluation, mentoring, job readiness, bridge training referrals, and, ultimately, job placements. 

Participants in RCP shared how beneficial it was to access information about various career paths, especially in light of the high costs of vocational/workforce training.  One client shares: 

 “I did not have any information about this [training program], and knew that I was not able to afford the cost of this program. I really needed some help and support. [It's all new for us] New country, new language, new culture, have to adjust to life in a foreign country. Because of the language barrier, we had to study the course materials several times to learn. For better understanding, sometimes I had to seek supplementary materials in order to do well in my training course. I really wanted to do well” 

With the support of the RCP program, participants were able to receive tailored career development support from credential evaluation and bridge training to job placement. Below are a few milestones from this past RCP program cycle! 

CREDENTIAL SUPPORT 

World Education Services (WES) Gateway helped Afghan clients receive Credential Evaluations. This partnership improved the career advising sessions to make informed recommendations and referrals. 

VOCATION ESL & LITERACY SUPPORT 

Three clients were connected to ESL* at the County College of Morris and vocational ESL at Hudson County Community College. They were previously struggling to find free in-person classes, however they successfully completed the 10-week ESL course and then bridged into the 10-month vocational school program. A considerable part of their success story was the support of a retired teacher from the literacy.org program. This teacher met them at a local library to help them with their English language skills. As soon as the clients complete their vocational ESL program, they plan to enroll in the New Bridge Plus program for GED prep. The plan is to acquire a GED, giving them more access to vocational courses.  

WOMEN IN ACTION(WIA) 

This women’s economic empowerment RCP group program focuses on Goal Setting, Health and Wellness, community engagement trips, financial literacy, and job readiness. WIA recently completed its third cohort. You can learn all about cohort two here.  

Home Health Aide 

The IRC NJ participated in several job fairs in Jersey City to build in-person connections. One of these was with Alpha Care, which supported participants with low English proficiency in enrolling in a Home Health Aide (HHA) training program. Participants were able to receive vocational training in Farsi. The total training is 76 hours of hybrid learning to become a HHA. This opportunity allowed participants to work towards obtaining their Home Health Aid license from the New Jersey Board of Nursing. IRC NJ also continued to partner with Bayada for Home Health Aide certification.  

Aviation 

Some participants started a US Commercial Pilot Training program provided by a leading flight school in Fall 2023. Participants paired this training with the IRC NJ’s virtual aviation course. In early 2024, a few participants passed key examinations that were necessary to start a pilot career. It was an emotional journey to meet this goal. One client shares how their goal for the future is to advance in their pilot career and complete flight hours to find employment. 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

The IRC NJ continued establishing partnerships with Union College and Hudson County Community College (HCCC). One participant completed their project management certification and landed a great opportunity as an Assistant Project Manager. Another participant in this program is in her last week and is excited to achieve this certification.  

FINDING ENDURANCE 

Along the journey, participants faced critical challenges in accessing opportunities and staying focused on their path. It could be difficult to be separated from family during a significant career milestone. Many participants had to maintain full-time jobs while studying lessons to pass multiple quizzes/exams. Many felt the pressure of balancing their work with their training program but understood how important it was to overcome this challenge.  

One client reflects on these challenges:  

“I am so grateful that with the support of Mrs. Maryam, she helped connect me to my program. At this point, I am so close to achieving my career goals! My advice to newcomers is to achieve your goal, you have to take actions step by step. Never give up. Even if you fail, keep trying. Set your goals by taking your abilities and talents into consideration. Then, move forward step by step. Time is not important. Just keep moving step by step." 

The RCP program is evidence that community partners who host job fairs or training programs and community members such as retired teachers are vital to a successful career development program. Moreover, the RCP program's holistic career advising approach has helped boost participants’ chances of finding a job placement. The IRC NJ is grateful to the Office of Refugee Resettlement for funding this RCP program.  

* English as a second language (ESL)