Higher began as RefugeeWorks in 1997; in its first year the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) selected RefugeeWorks as the government’s principle training and technical assistance provider for employment and self-sufficiency. Since that time, Higher has been ORR’s training and technical assistance arm on employment in order to improve self-sufficiency among resettled refugees and strengthe
n community integration. Today, Higher is a program of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide refugee employment technical assistance to all nine national resettlement agencies. With solid expertise and a network of over 300 local organizations, Higher is uniquely suited to offer current and responsive support to local refugee employment programs, creative and flexible solutions for companies in need of reliable workers, and consistent learning tools for refugees and other migrants seeking to enter and advance in the U.S. With a network of over 300 local agencies providing services to over 30,000 refugees every year, Higher is constantly refining and developing its role in order to respond to current trends in immigration patterns and workforce development. Higher supports, strengthens, and connects the nationwide network of refugee employment service providers through resources and trainings that promote economic self-sufficiency and career advancement. Higher provides guidance for entry level employment programs, long term employment programs, and upward mobility programs.
