Post by Clipper on Nov 16, 2022 9:42:14 GMT -5
www.wktv.com/news/local/the-center-in-utica-receives-300k-in-state-funding-for-ukrainian-refugee-support-services/article_f515f4a2-6522-11ed-80dc-1382792ba66d.html
Is this refugee center on Bleecker St a replacement for the center that use to be at the old St. Francis school building? I found that was very successful in helping Bosnian refugees acclimate to life in the city.
When I was the transportation manager at the OD that center at St. Francis reached out to us to hire refugees. It worked quite well for us. I hired two drivers and two dock workers, and the department in charge of inserting the flyers and bundling the papers for distribution hired several refugees. They turned out to be very dependable and capable. The only thing that made hiring them as drivers a bit more involved was the fact that I had to personally test them to insure that they were able to recognize and read traffic signs and devices, street signs and were able to speak and understand enough English to communicate with me and the loading dock by radio when out on the routes. The production department was a bit less limited in requirements for hiring. They actually had an interpreter who was a worker that spoke enough English to interpret for those that did not. They were a happy, hard working group, grateful for the opportunity to work. While the jobs didn't pay a high wage, they were a jumping off place for them. One driver in particular was VERY dependable and hard working, and was a truck driver in Bosnia. I was able to refer him and recommend him to a local trucking concern and he was hired to drive a dump truck for 10 or 12 bucks an hour and benefits. When I left the area he was still working there and the employer was more than happy with his performance and had hired a Bosnian mechanic to work in their garage.
Is this refugee center on Bleecker St a replacement for the center that use to be at the old St. Francis school building? I found that was very successful in helping Bosnian refugees acclimate to life in the city.
When I was the transportation manager at the OD that center at St. Francis reached out to us to hire refugees. It worked quite well for us. I hired two drivers and two dock workers, and the department in charge of inserting the flyers and bundling the papers for distribution hired several refugees. They turned out to be very dependable and capable. The only thing that made hiring them as drivers a bit more involved was the fact that I had to personally test them to insure that they were able to recognize and read traffic signs and devices, street signs and were able to speak and understand enough English to communicate with me and the loading dock by radio when out on the routes. The production department was a bit less limited in requirements for hiring. They actually had an interpreter who was a worker that spoke enough English to interpret for those that did not. They were a happy, hard working group, grateful for the opportunity to work. While the jobs didn't pay a high wage, they were a jumping off place for them. One driver in particular was VERY dependable and hard working, and was a truck driver in Bosnia. I was able to refer him and recommend him to a local trucking concern and he was hired to drive a dump truck for 10 or 12 bucks an hour and benefits. When I left the area he was still working there and the employer was more than happy with his performance and had hired a Bosnian mechanic to work in their garage.
