The Quad Cities business community is getting a look at an often overlooked workforce – new refugees and immigrants in the community.
Those new residents could soon take jobs in healthcare, agriculture, local hotels, factories and many other employers.
Hundreds of the new residents made job connections on Thursday, May 18, during the Refugee and Immigrant Job Fair at the Scott Community College Urban Campus at 101 W. Third St., downtown Davenport.
“It’s going better than expected,” said Jordan Priest of Iowa Precision Forge, Inc. of 510 S. Howell St., Davenport, one of about 32 employers at the job fair. “We’re looking for four or five good candidates. … The people I’m meeting are earnest. There’s some hurdles to overcome, but we’ll manage that.”
Overcoming those hurdles and making contact with employers were two of the goals of Thursday’s job fair, said Edgar Ramirez, refugee workforce liaison with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, one of the organizers of the event.
He added that he hopes the event will show area employers that there is “a solution” to their workforce problems. That solution is working with the state and other organizations to hire refugees who may need help learning the language and learning about the country.
“We’re removing the fears from hiring refugees, and removing the barriers to jobs,” Mr. Ramirez said. “This event will connect refugees, newcomers to our community, with quality employers who need dedicated employees and with resources to help them begin a new life here in the Quad-Cities.”
Some of the other employers at the Thursday event included UnityPoint Health, PSSI Food Safety, Group O, Kraft Heinz, Jewell Tool Technology., Frontier Hospitality Group and Liberty Packaging of Rock Island.
“This is all about connecting with the community and offering good jobs,” said Steve Walzer, human resources manager at Liberty Packaging. “I’m trying to see people who are a good fit for us.”
He added that Liberty has hired refugees and immigrants in the past, and has worked with the World Relief organization to hire 15 refugees as employees.
One of the new refugees and immigrants looking for work on Thursday was Mwenebenga Tabyabele of Rock Island, who has been in the Quad Cities for about two years.
Mr. Tabyabele, a native of Tanzania, Africa, looked over the Liberty Packaging table and materials from many other employers at the event. He said he wasn’t picky about what job he wanted, but he needed to find some job.
“I’m looking for any job. I need the money. … So far, this looks like a good place to find work,” he added.
One of the potential employers Mr. Tabyabele considered was Carthage System Professional Swine Management, a pork farm management company based in Carthage, Illinois.
Carlos Mendez, a human resources worker with Carthage, was busy trying to get people – especially those who have farm experience – to take on the agriculture management positions.
“It’s not for everybody. But for people who come from farms, this can be a great opportunity,” he added.
In addition to job opportunities, the Thursday event also brought together several agencies to help immigrants and refugees get settled in their new home. Some of those services are being offered by Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. Melek Genc Mayerle, the English As a Second Language coordinator with EICC, was at the fair to offer her services.
“We’re reaching out to as many people as possible. … Knowing English, expressing themselves is vital to getting a job,” she said.
The hiring fair was hosted in partnership with Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, IowaWORKS, Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce and World Relief.
