In the US, over 2 million college-educated refugees and immigrants face under- or un-employment.  Since 2000, Upwardly Global has been helping individuals rebuild professional careers in the US and has placed nearly 14,000 immigrants and refugees into skill-aligned roles. As a result of their support, average starting salaries for those placing in tech roles are $71,000 - representing a $67,000 average income gain to candidates who were previously in low-wage work or unemployed, often for several years.   

The Hg Foundation and Upwardly Global’s $1 million partnership has reached 300 immigrant and refugee women over three years. The programme comprises industry-specific coaching, re-and upskilling, networking, mentorship and job placement support. $150,000 in scholarship funding has been leveraged by 84 jobseekers to support them to access tech industry training opportunities. Upwardly Global has also scaled its suite of tech-enabled tools for job seekers via its learning management platform, that hosts an eLearning library of job readiness training modules. 

We are grateful for The Hg Foundation’s true partnership in our work to help immigrant and refugee women access career opportunities in the U.S. Through scholarship support, strategic collaboration, and a shared focus on measurable impact, The Hg Foundation has helped remove the barriers that keep talented foreign-born professionals out of the tech sector. Together, we have opened pathways to success, helping 125 women move from underemployment into careers that fully use their skills. These are not only jobs. They are life-sustaining roles that support families, strengthen the economy, and create generational impact. It is an honor to work with The Hg Foundation in our shared pursuit of building the workforce of the future, ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they came from, has the opportunity to contribute to the American economy.

For quite some time, I wasn’t sure how I would support myself. My self-confidence and my self esteem definitely got damaged. When I first found Upwardly Global, I felt so relieved. Finally, I found someone who could understand me, who could support me, who could answer all my stupid questions. The hope that Upwardly Global provides for refugees and immigrants is that you're capable enough. You're extremely talented, and sometimes you just really need a little bit of help. What I actually felt after I joined Upwardly Global — it was like a completely different magic world of people who really care.