Press Release

Bunker Hill Community College Hosts "Pathways to Success" Seminar

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Bunker Hill Community College hosted a seminar on June 12, 2012, that focused on the needs of immigrants who arrive in the United States with specialized education or established careers. The seminar featured a panel of experts who discussed ways in which immigrants can pursue further education, obtain professional licensing or certification, and find suitable employment. The event attracted more than 125 participants representing more than 30 countries.

The College partnered with World Education Services (WES) and the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education to create the event, which was free and open to current and recent immigrant students and community residents. The seminar was developed in response to recent studies indicating that an estimated 2.7 million college-educated immigrants in the United States are unemployed or underemployed, according to BHCC's Executive Director for Workforce Development Les Warren, coordinator of the event.

Bunker Hill Community College currently offers a variety of English as a Second Language classes as well as educational and career resources that assist skilled immigrants throughout the Greater Boston area. BHCC's outreach to immigrants includes the Welcome Back Center, which helps foreign-trained nurses to become licensed in Massachusetts; the Community Center for Entrepreneurship, which provides services to entrepreneurs and prospective entrepreneurs, including many recent immigrants; and Community Education offerings that include English as a second language, certificate courses, career advice and cultural information.

World Education Services (www.wes.org) is an accredited non-profit organization with over thirty years’ experience evaluating international credentials so they are understood and fully recognized in the United States.

Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education (www.cccie.org) is a national network of community colleges, professional groups, and research organizations committed to expanding and strengthening programs and services for immigrant students at community colleges nationwide.

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About Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College is the largest community college in Massachusetts, enrolling approximately 18,000 students annually. BHCC has two campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, and a number of other locations throughout the Greater Boston area. BHCC is one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in Massachusetts. Sixty-five percent of the students are people of color and more than half of BHCC's students are women. The College also enrolls nearly 600 international students who come from 94 countries and speak more than 75 languages.