Since 2006, English at Work has partnered with Caritas to provide work-based language instruction to newly-arrived Cuban refugees. Many of these individuals come to the U.S. with professional degrees. However, because of the language barrier, it is difficult for them to find work in their field. In 2003, the New Immigrants Survey found that around 60 per cent of immigrants experienced an occupational downgrade when they moved to the U.S.
Fortunately, this was not the case for Osmany Moncada. Osmany arrived in Austin in August 2009. Originally from Cuba, Osmany worked as a Specialist in Animal Quarantine Services in his home country before moving to Djibouti, in East Africa, where he worked for the Director of the Livestock Department for a few months before moving to Austin.
Osmany working in Djibouti
Osmany attended the advanced English class that English at Work provides to Caritas. The instructor, Sherri Mowry, helps students prepare for work in the U.S. by helping them hone their interview skills and create resumes. This work paid off for Osmany, who was hired as a Vet Tech by Banfield Pet Hospital last fall. Osmany says that Sherri’s class was “a very critical point” in his development. He says Sherri gave the students the hope that “tomorrow can be better than today, “ but that there are specific things they need to do to prepare for this.
Osmany is very happy with his job at Banfield, where he says he is learning a lot. His coworkers are “very friendly, very, very professional.” He feels the same way about Austin. “The city is very quiet, very safe, very friendly,” he says, adding, “I didn’t like the winter.”
We are proud of what Osmany has accomplished and wish him warm, sunny days from now on.
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