Preventing “Brain Waste” in Michigan: Professional Career Support for Skilled Immigrants Preventing “Brain Drain” in Michigan: Professional Career Support for Skilled Immigrants 2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Gerald Ford Room Annie Fenton & Briana Nowak, MITS, Michigan Office for New Americans Learn how one state program is supporting skilled immigrants return to their professional careers through free coaching and job search training programs!

1.Participants will be able to identify brain waste and the impacts it has on local, state, and federal economic development. 2. Participants will learn the connection between access to quality ESL provision and professional outcomes for skilled immigrants. 3. Participants will learn skills for becoming a champion for skilled immigrant ESL students by learning about complementary training and reskilling opportunities available in Michgian. 4. Participants will learn about best practices regarding the selection, onboarding, and training of skilled immigrants in a profession. Session Objectives

Understanding Brain Waste An estimated 2 Million work authorized skilled immigrants in the US or either underemployed or unemployed Understanding Brain Waste These individuals are mostly highly-skilled, they bring from their home countries degrees and professional experience in many in-demand industries, but they often get stuck in survival jobs—”doctor driving taxis, engineers stocking shelves, etc” Skilled immigrant women are disproportionately affected– 1 in 3 are under or unemployed vs just 29 percent mixed gender numbers Citizenship decreases chances of brain waste 23% for citizens and 30% for green card holders

Brain Waste’s effect on US economy Defined as skill underutilization, Brain Waste presents an opportunity and challenge for economic development in US in terms of potential earning (an estimated $40 Billion), tax capture, and a source of skilled talent. Brain Waste’s effect on US economy

Brain Waste in Michigan In Michigan, 20% of educated immigrants— 29,000 are underemployed As a result of low-skill, low- wage employment, $512M in earning have been lost A loss of $48.6M in state and local taxes Brain Waste in Michigan

Top Factors Driving Brain Waste English Proficiency Place of Education Level of Degree Legal Status/Citizenship Time in the US Gender Race &Ethnicity (Country of Origin) Top Factors Driving Brain Waste

Michigan companies are struggling to find skilled employees… Brain waste among skilled immigrants is not new, but it is gaining more awareness as we move further into an improving jobs economy—allowing a conversation about the role skilled immigrants can and should play in developing a robust talent pipeline for Michigan employers.

4.2% 3.9% National Unemployment Rate, Sept 2107 Michigan Unemployment Rate, Aug 2017 …And competition for workers is the highest it’s been since the start of the recession. 4.2% 3.9% http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/06/15/michigan-unemployment-rate/399282001/

It’s a job seeker’s market for the foreseeable future! Comerica predicts a statewide unemployment to dip to 3.9 percent in 2018, further tightening a labor market where many employers are already having difficulty finding qualified workers. It’s a job seeker’s market for the foreseeable future!

Skilled immigrants represent an alternative talent pool 33% of students pursuing Master’s degrees in STEM fields in MI are foreign-born, 39% of Phd candidates in STEM are foreign-born

Filling the STEM Gap with Foreign-born Talent Despite making up 6.5% of Michigan’s population, immigrants represent 15% of all STEM worker in the state in 2014. Filling the STEM Gap with Foreign-born Talent While the 2016 STEM Index shows increases in STEM degrees granted and STEM hiring, America continues to have a shortage of STEM workers. There were 30,835 additional STEM graduates and 230,246 additional STEM jobs from 2014-2015 2017 cap reached in just 4 days. Last year, 236,000 foreigners applied. This is the fifth consecutive year that the cap has been met within five days.

Not all skilled immigrants require a work visa. More than 1 Not all skilled immigrants require a work visa! More than 1.8 million work-authorized skilled immigrants in US Refugees not included in this list, adding an additional ~85,000. Michigan resettled 4,258 refugees in 2016.

Why should Michigan employers consider hiring immigrant professionals? Big Picture Company Level Why should Michigan employers consider hiring immigrant professionals? Statistics show that hiring one immigrant professional creates an additional 3.1 jobs for US-born population Immigrants contributed more than $5b in state and local taxes in 2014 Diversity and international experience bring dynamism and innovation to your organization Immigrants have traditionally low turnover rates

Why Didn’t I know about this talent resource?! Barriers to Employment for Skilled Immigrants Why Didn’t I know about this talent resource?! Lack of professional network Resume Cultural learning curve to US hiring process Unconscious bias in ATS, hiring protocols

Michigan International Talent Solutions (MITS)

Michigan International Talent Solutions (MITS) Fully Work-Authorized— Require no visa sponsorship Educated—All have BA/BS, 50% have master’s degree or higher Experienced Professionals— Average 5-7 years industry experience Multilingual—Many speak 3 or more languages, all are fluent in English Michigan International Talent Solutions (MITS) Those eligible for the MITS program receive free professional employment skills and one-on-one coaching: Resume revision Interview Skills Professional Networking Salary Nego

5 Top Reasons to Hire Skilled Immigrants and Refugees! Over 90% retention rate after 1 year High rate of STEM professionals—qualified candidates without pursuing expensive sponsorship Reduced turnover and related costs Improved hiring for key roles and shortage areas Leverage multilingual candidates for increased customer service or market expansion 5 Top Reasons to Hire Skilled Immigrants and Refugees!

Best Practices Skilled Immigrant Recruitment Employment Support Assess your protocols for bias—digital and human! Work with hiring managers to identify key skills, challenging misconceptions Cultural competency Identify OTJ mentoring opportunities Reach out to existing resources for upskilling and additional professional development

Recent MITS Placements Susana G. (Accounting) Wajih F. (Engineering) Recent MITS Placements Bilingual Staff Accountant Full benefits + retirement Southfield, MI  Previous Salary: $18k Starting Salary: $55k   Facilities Manager at GM Full benefits +retirement Warren, MI Previous Salary: $0 Starting Salary: $100k

Annie Fenton Michigan International Talent Solutions (MITS) Michigan Office for New Americans www.michigan.gov/mits Email: fentona@michigan.gov Phone: 313-498-8825