MD Eagles

Problem collection Problem 03

Professional experience does not always lead to a matching job

Help internationally trained residents navigate credentials and local career pathways.

Start with a local conversation

Place
Maryland · test one profession in one community
Topic
Work and careers
Status
Ideas awaiting local testing
Sources reviewed
November 5, 2026

What the evidence shows

Maryland’s Skilled Immigrant Task Force identifies costly credential evaluations, complex licensing, limited professional networks and unfamiliar career pathways as barriers. These statewide observations do not tell us which barrier matters most in a particular community.

Source: Maryland Department of Labor, Skilled Immigrant Task Force.

Possible solutions to test

These are MD Eagles proposals, not projects already operating. Test the need with residents and existing services before building.

  1. A verified guide for one profession

    Work with the relevant licensing board and a workforce adviser to explain one profession’s requirements, official fees and routes. Assign someone to review the guide when requirements change.

  2. A local career navigation circle

    Connect willing professionals with trained advisers and peers in the same field. Begin with a small, facilitated session to identify missing information and useful introductions.

Your first step

Choose one profession. Interview five internationally trained residents and a workforce adviser about where the process stalls. Check whether an existing program already covers that need.

Who to involve

Internationally trained residents, workforce advisers, professional associations and the relevant licensing board.

What to measure

Whether participants understand their next verified step and complete it. A checklist cannot waive licensing rules or guarantee employment.

Build on what already exists

Start by learning from Maryland’s Skilled Immigrant Task Force. Ask what they already provide and what remains difficult. No partnership is implied.

Facing this yourself? Find an existing service in the resource guides.

Take this brief with you

Download the project worksheet (plain text)

Use it to record local evidence, collaborators, costs and a small test before committing to a larger project.