Upwardly Global (UpGlo) and Accenture are using technology to help skilled immigrants and refugees find sustainable employment and better integrate into the US economy. Two million skilled immigrants and refugees in the US are unemployed or in low-skill jobs despite advanced education and professional experience, and millions more globally face similar challenge. UpGlo has partnered with Accenture since 2011 to help this population find skill-appropriate employment. This partnership has enabled UpGlo expand its reach from four to more than 40 states, led to approximately 4,400 job seekers using online training, and approximately 2,000 of those job seekers securing employment. Moreover, program participants achieved an average starting salary of $51K in 2016. To build on this partnership, Accenture awarded UpGlo a 4-year, $3M grant in 2016 to expand UpGlo’s reskilling program and build UpGlo’s “Technical Assistance” offering to train US and global peer organizations to help skilled immigrants and refugees seek professional employment. The partnership expects to benefit 48,000 job seekers over the next four years.
