Top Irish American organisations in New York have come together to support job-seeking students visiting the US under the J1 Visa program.
On 22 February, representatives of the IBO, Irish Network New York City, and the Digital Irish will be among bodies sponsoring a 'Graduate Gateway' evening aimed at linking visa holders with employers.
"The highlight of the evening will be a panel of graduate visa holders who have successfully navigated the NYC job scene along with employers of J1s and legal experts," explains Sean O'Dowd, a board member with the Emerald Isle Immigration Center. "We hope that this panel will provide graduate visa holders with the insight and inspiration needed for them to achieve their job seeking goals."
Digital Irish | Graduate Gateway Graduate Gateway
— Dan Dennehy (@Dan_Dennehy) February 5, 2024
A collaborative effort seeking to ease the transition for recent Irish graduates into the American workforce, providing an invaluable bridge between their academic achievements & professional aspirations! https://t.co/wgDKQ3rYOZ
The three main pillars of Graduate Gateway, says O'Dowd, are 'Collaborate, Advocate & Support'. "This will be just one of many future events tailored to the needs of Irish graduate visa holders in the NYC area. However, we hope that this event will also encourage Irish community leaders across the US to follow our path and create their own networks of support with related events and activities.”
At least 50 J1 Visa holders from Ireland and around the same number of potential employers are expected at the event in the SOSV near Penn Station. Registration begins at 5:15pm and the evening will conclude with a networking opportunity from 7-8pm.
