The Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent) and Hiring Our Heroes have announced the launch of a collaborative initiative to provide professional mentorship opportunities to Afghan refugees in the United States. 

Rolled out around the one-year anniversary of the evacuation of more than 75,000 Afghans to the U.S., the program will connect veterans employed at major companies with Afghan refugees who are looking to advance their careers. Many Afghans who were evacuated worked alongside the U.S. military—and the program will provide those refugees with practical skills and knowledge on topics such as conducting a job search, drafting an effective resume, and navigating the U.S. workplace, while helping to build their social and professional networks.

In addition, Tent plans to launch two professional mentorship initiatives in 2023. The first will focus on reaching refugee women, who often face a double burden navigating the workforce—as refugees and as women. The second will provide professional mentorship opportunities to Spanish-speaking refugees. 

“Tent has been working with more than 100 companies in the U.S. to place Afghan refugees into jobs as quickly as possible. But while critical, these first jobs are not always commensurate with the skills and experience that many Afghans bring,” said Tent executive director Gideon Maltz. “This mentorship initiative can be a bridge to higher-skilled roles—with support and guidance from mentors, refugees can accelerate their understanding of the U.S. job market, gain critical skills, and build a professional network that can introduce them to a vast array of new opportunities.”

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