Sierra Op-ed Piece Highlights International Talent Pool in St. Louis

St. Louis Business Journal publishes op-ed from Mosaic Project executive director

Suzanne Sierra, executive director of the St. Louis Mosaic Project, recently wrote an op-ed piece about the importance of companies hiring from the international talent pool in St. Louis that was published by the St. Louis Business Journal.

Due to employee retirements, many St. Louis and U.S. companies are finding challenges in filling specialized roles, such as engineers and researchers. With international students and professionals representing one of the most underutilized talent pools in today’s hiring landscape, it may be time for companies to start considering foreign born talent, especially in St. Louis.

That is one of the reasons the Mosaic project launched the International Hiring Challenge.

Sierra wrote:

Immigrants play an important role in strengthening the regional economy by expanding the workforce and driving growth. But attracting global talent is only part of the equation. Retaining it is what drives long-term economic impact.

That’s why the St. Louis Mosaic Project, an initiative of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and World Trade Center St. Louis, launched the International Hiring Challenge — to help companies explore this talent pipeline in a simple, low-barrier way. The initiative connects employers with work-authorized international students and professionals for internships and full-time opportunities. In its first year, 10 regional employers participated and hired 12 interns with overwhelmingly positive feedback. Mosaic also provides professional development and support to help hires continue growing and adding value in the workplace.

To read the article in its entirety, click here.