New Americans Integration Network (NAIN)

Denver's New Americans Integration Network (NAIN) identifies and addresses issues related to workforce services to support immigrant and refugee jobseekers through collaboration with partner agencies and stakeholders. 

Goals

• To explore and establish opportunities of collaboration in areas of economic, social, and educational advancements for our New American communities.
• Integrating the New American communities into the workforce and economic fabrics of our society while addressing their economic mobility barriers.
• Serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), resource databank and referral point/one stop operation.
• Provides resources to New Americans in the Denver Metro Area through a referral process to address employment and training need

Denver's NAIN aligns with the City's values of welcoming immigrant and refugees, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognize that the diversity of ideas, voices, and talent is the foundation to create a resilient community that is adaptable to changes, crises, and can bounce back to thrive. 

Initiatives like NAIN address what is called "brain waste," the inability of New Americans to adequately utilize skills and education in the workplace regardless of their esteemed professional achievements. Approximately two million immigrants and refugees residing in the US (one out of every four)- have college degrees but are usually offered low-skilled jobs by employers or are unable to find work.

Based on this fact, federal, state, and local governments lose out on more than $10 billion in tax revenue each year.

Denver's NAIN program works on:

• Reskilling - obtaining new skills to undertake a new job or career
• Upskilling - obtaining advanced skills via advanced education and/or training for upward mobility
• Next-skilling - obtaining new skills and/or training that are relevant in today's job market