In the Media - Immigrants Find Their American Dream in the Kitchen

“They face the same challenges that any immigrants face: a different language, a different culture. They have left behind the whole world that they know: their neighbors, their parents, their kids, their friends, their whole identity. And they came looking for the American dream, to learn – and in the end they only need a chance.”

Chef Ben Velasquez is talking about the students at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. He says that local governments in the U.S. must teach students at least to a high school level. But immigrants may come as adults. They may come from a country where they did not receive the same educational opportunities.

So when immigrants come to the U.S., they may have a hard time finding work. If they don’t speak English well, or if they lack job-specific skills, then employers may not want to hire them.

Immigrants often find work in service industries like hotels, restaurants, and personal care. These workers do not need college degrees, but they must have job-specific skills and English language skills.

Some U.S. public schools provide English language instruction and job-specific training to adult immigrants in separate adult education programs.

One such school is Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School.

In 1998, the school became the first adult public charter school in the United States.

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