Sociocultural competency training for migrants in a job placement program

Abstract

Recent migrants from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds are often unfamiliar with the implicit social rules for effective workplace interactions vital for career search and advancement in the adopted country. Job placement programs available for the unemployed may have limited use for CALD clients unless they also receive intercultural social skills training aimed at enhancing their sociocultural competency in preparation for the culturally different workplace. This paper will report the implementation and preliminary evaluation of the EXCELL (Excellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership) Program - as a sociocultural competency training module - in an innovative and comprehensive labour market program for CALD migrants in Brisbane, Australia. On completion of EXCELL, a sample of 101 migrant jobseekers (37% male, median age = 35 years, median residence in Australia = 2.25 years, 80% from non-English-speaking background) reported increases in job search self-efficacy and intercultural social self-efficacy, compared with their pre-training survey responses. Program ratings and trainers' observations have further indicated high levels of client satisfaction with the EXCELL training and its relevance to enhancing social interactions in job placements. The implications for future evaluation research as well as practice in employment and migrant services will be discussed.