Cornerstone Foundation

Our ongoing partnership with the Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation enabled us to launch and grow our online training portal, weGlo, into a sophisticated learning platform that serves thousands of skilled immigrants and refugees every year. All UpGlo program participants complete their core training on weGlo, and we have expanded our course catalog to include more than 400 courses covering all aspects of the job search and U.S. workplace culture—including our women’s curriculum and health care pathways training. In 2017, Cornerstone OnDemand awarded Upwardly Global its RAVE Award, recognizing our “Advancement in Reinventing Work.”

 

Elena is an HR Professional from Belarus who recently relocated to Michigan. She worked closely with her coach and took full advantage of resources from Upwardly Global and the Michigan Office for New Americans (MITS). In 2017 she took 30 courses through weGlo (setting a record!), and quickly found a job in recruiting and HR at a local translating company.

“Abe Lincoln once said: ‘Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.’ That is what Upwardly Global gave me. With all their outstanding and on-target trainings and support I was prepared for every step in the job search process. It provided me with all the necessary tools to get my first job offer.”

Coursera

In 2017, UpGlo partnered with Coursera, a leading online education provider, to launch our Coursera for Refugees program. The program gives UpGlo’s refugee and asylee program participants full access to Coursera’s database of trainings and courses from top U.S. college and universities—ranging from software development and data analytics to business communication skills. To date, UpGlo has enrolled more than 500 refugee and asylee job seekers in the program.

 

Mohammed is an electrical and computer engineer who came to the U.S. from Iraq on a Special Immigrant Visa, which he was granted due to his work supporting the U.S. military. After arriving in the U.S., he took a job as a shuttle driver earning $10.00 an hour to make ends meet. Coursera was an essential part of his job search, and he took the “Object-Oriented Programming” course to build his industry knowledge. With the help of UpGlo and Coursera, Mohammed was able to secure a position as Web OPs support/Software Engineer with Sinclair Broadcast Group, where he recently received a promotion.

“Everyone that participates in UpGlo MUST and NEEDS TO take Coursera courses in their area of interest to build professional skills.”

Education First

UpGlo recognized the need to ensure that our program participants had the necessary English skills to get the most out of UpGlo’s training, and to succeed in their job searches. We partnered with English First (EF), a renowned international English language training institute, to launch our interactive English as Second Language (ESL) training. EF’s mission to open the world through education and give confidence and freedom to people of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds aligns closely with UpGlo’s work. They offer a comprehensive online library of 3,000 hours of study materials, ranging from beginner to advanced levels. Since launching in 2017, we have enrolled more than 200 job seekers, with more than 3,700 study hours completed.

 

Lorena is a highly experienced industrial designer from Spain who joined Upwardly Global in March 2017. Her designs aspire to tell stories blending life, emotion, and surprise. However, Lorena struggled to communicate her design ideas in English, which frustrated her and affected her confidence. She was concerned that she wouldn’t fit in the U.S. workplace due to her low English skills. Lorena committed to improving her English skills through the EF training program. Soon after, she was invited for an interview with Pottery Barn and was offered a role as a senior designer.

“The EF training helped me a lot in improving my vocabulary and grammar skills, I was able to prepare better for interviews and achieve my first U.S job. The training is helping me to keep improving every day and I feel more confident in my new job. I am very glad Upwardly Global and EF have given me this opportunity.”