The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York), January 24, 2007, Wednesday
Copyright 2007 Post-Standard
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.
The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York)
January 24, 2007 Wednesday
FINAL EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. B2
BYLINE: By BoNhia Lee Staff writer
BODY:
Researchers from Cornell University interviewed two groups of local immigrants Tuesday to learn about their job skills and training needs.
The interviews will be used in the "Journey 2 Jobs" Workforce Development study, which will identify the hurdles that refugees and businesses encounter when it comes to employment.
"We're really trying to talk to the workers, the employers and government people," said Maralyn Edid, senior extension associate at Cornell, who is conducting the interviews. "We all need to be on the same page."
The Onondaga County Office of Economic Development received a $9,000 federal grant for the study.
Between 600 and 800 refugees are resettled in Syracuse every year, said Bob Huss, director of the Syracuse school district's Refugee Family Program.
The latest arrivals, who include Africans, Burmese and Russians, have difficulties finding jobs because of language, cultural barriers and job skills that can't be translated into work here, Huss said.
The Cornell researchers will meet with Somali and Liberian refugees today and will meet with employers, county officials and refugee service providers Thursday. The results are expected this summer.
The Post-Standard interviewed four immigrants who are part of the study.
Name: Thai Htoo Dee.
Age: 23.
Family : A 5-year-old son.
Originally from: Burma. She arrived in November.
Work experience: Worked in sales at a mall in Thailand, selling cookies and other desserts.
Job search in Syracuse: Dee does not have a job yet but is taking English classes.
Desired job: To be in sales again.
Challenges in finding a job: Language is hard, and there are problems with transportation.
Name: Liner Shue.
Age: 51.
Family: Wife, 9-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter.
Originally from: Burma. Shue and his family arrived in August.
Work experience: Shue was a police officer in Burma and taught Burmese language in a Thai refugee camp.
Current job: He starts work at Stickley on Monday.
Desired job: Any job because we come to America to work. No job, there is no money.
Challenges in finding a job: Not easy to find a job. Problem is English language.
Name: Fahima Mohammad.
Age: 30.
Originally from: Afghanistan, where she lived for seven years before moving to Russia. Mohammad lived in Russia for 22 years and arrived in Syracuse in April 2006.
Work experience: She studied education and was an elementary school teacher for three years.
Job search in Syracuse: Mohammad is not working yet. She is taking English classes.
Desired job: When I learn English well enough, I want to teach. I like children.
Challenges in finding a job: It's difficult, especially if you do not know the language. I know two languages, Russian and Farsi, and need to learn English.
Name: Feruza Mukhamedova.
Age: 41.
Family: Married with one daughter, 17, who lives in Texas; twin daughters, 14, and a son, 5, who live in Syracuse.
Originally from: Russia. Mukhamedova's family resettled in Syracuse last year. She remained in Russia because of a problem with her passport and other documents. She was reunited with her family in November through Catholic Charities' refugee program.
Work experience: Attended college in Uzbekistan. Worked as a chef in a cafe for five years.
Job search in Syracuse: She does not have a job but is taking English classes.
Desired job: To be a cook in a kitchen or to work in another cafe and make food.
Challenges in finding a job: You don't know the language. I am going to school to learn so I can get a job.
BoNhia Lee can be reached at blee@syracuse.com or 470-2134.
Study on foreign workers
Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations focuses on workplace studies such as labor laws and labor economics. The school conducted a training needs study for foreign workers in Sullivan, Ulster and Orange counties. The study determined that language, transportation, housing, safety and health were major issues for foreign workers, said Maria Figueroa, a senior extension associate at Cornell. The study resulted in the creation of a program to train workers about safety and health. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration funded the program.
GRAPHIC: PHOTO NO CREDIT Thai Htoo Dee Dee Liner Shue Fahima Mohammad Feruza Mukhamedova
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