Greenfield Recorder – MassHire and Riverside Industries partner at job fair to help Haitian refugees find jobs

EASTHAMPTON — When Marie Andrades lived in Haiti, she worked as a nurse. Now she lives in Northampton with her mother and baby and is looking for a job that will allow her to use her transferable skills.

“I [studied] “I work as a nurse in Haiti. I have my license here,” Andrades said, pointing to a purple folder on her lap as she attended a job fair at Riverside Industries Wednesday morning.

However, for someone who received their education and certification in another country, finding a job in America can be difficult.

“We have some very talented people from different parts of the world who have come to the States with some skills and training that sometimes don't translate to the credentials and things like that that they need here,” said Vernon Carter, human resources manager at Riverside Industries. “By working with MassHire, we have the opportunity to really give people the opportunity to get their footing in the door in their new phase in the United States.”

In partnership with the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center, Riverside Industries has invited recent immigrants to explore direct support staff positions available through the nonprofit organization. Riverside Industries supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Western Massachusetts.

“We let [MassHire] “We knew at the beginning of the year that we were prepared and ready to welcome potential employees who were immigrants or refugees and whose first language was not English,” said Markus Jones, senior director of development and strategic operations at Riverside Industries.

Ten Haitian refugees were transported from their accommodation at the Quality Inn & Suites in Northampton to the Riverside Industries building in Easthampton for a morning of tours, information and interviews for support staff positions. Support staff help people with disabilities with daily activities in the various programs the organization offers, Jones said.

The job fair was the result of a $352,000 grant Riverside Industries received in 2022 from the Department of Developmental Services to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce, Jones explained. To help the organization reach its goal of returning its direct care workforce to pre-pandemic size, Jones said the grant will allow Riverside Industries to hire up to 50 new employees whose first language is not English.

“In recent years and in the past, staffing has always been a problem in the social services sector,” Carter added. Especially after the pandemic, Carter said, the organization needs to find resources to help it meet the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through its programs.

Riverside offers eight to ten weeks of intensive on-site English instruction through the International Language Institute of Massachusetts. Interpreters are available to assist those who still struggle with language barriers after this period.

A focus of the initiative, Jones said, is finding transferable skills even when language, education and licensure create barriers. In Andrades' case, for example, “the skills, the mindset and the way a nurse does their job” are all applicable to the positions Riverside Industries needs to fill, Jones explained.

“Whether it’s a specialized care role or a direct service role, these skills are perfectly transferable,” Jones said.

Among the ten participants were sisters Annechoistelle, Annechoistie and Sarha Jeanpierre. Sarha moved to the USA 11 months ago, Annechoistelle and Anchoistie arrived in February. They heard about the job fair from their advisor at the Center for New Americans.

“I'm excited,” said Annechoistie. “I want to find a job.”