Bunker Hill Community College Hosts "Pathways to Success" Seminar
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Bunker Hill Community College hosted a seminar on June 12, 2012, that focused on the needs of immigrants who arrive in the United States with specialized education or established careers. The seminar featured a panel of experts who discussed ways in which immigrants can pursue further education, obtain professional licensing or certification, and find suitable employment. The event attracted more than 125 participants representing more than 30 countries.
The College partnered with World Education Services (WES) and the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education to create the event, which was free and open to current and recent immigrant students and community residents. The seminar was developed in response to recent studies indicating that an estimated 2.7 million college-educated immigrants in the United States are unemployed or underemployed, according to BHCC's Executive Director for Workforce Development Les Warren, coordinator of the event.
Bunker Hill Community College currently offers a variety of English as a Second Language classes as well as educational and career resources that assist skilled immigrants throughout the Greater Boston area. BHCC's outreach to immigrants includes the Welcome Back Center, which helps foreign-trained nurses to become licensed in Massachusetts; the Community Center for Entrepreneurship, which provides services to entrepreneurs and prospective entrepreneurs, including many recent immigrants; and Community Education offerings that include English as a second language, certificate courses, career advice and cultural information.
World Education Services (www.wes.org) is an accredited non-profit organization with over thirty years’ experience evaluating international credentials so they are understood and fully recognized in the United States.
Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education (www.cccie.org) is a national network of community colleges, professional groups, and research organizations committed to expanding and strengthening programs and services for immigrant students at community colleges nationwide.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
Celebrating 50 years of excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).