Refugees finding work in Colorado
illenials flock to Denver faster than almost every other city in the country. Colorado’s recreational culture, active lifestyle and surging downtown create a magnetic atmosphere for young people. But our new neighbors include more than hipsters in search of tech startups and fresh powder.
“Colorado is better than other places,” said Ah Hki, who moved to Colorado two years ago from a refugee camp in Thailand. “I found a great job and have a lot of work. Housing is expensive here, but the wages are higher here, too. And the weather is better.” Some numbers: • The Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform reports more than 2.5 million refugees — people escaping their home countries for fear of persecution because of their religion, race or some other cause — have resettled in the U.S. since 1975.
• Between 1980 and 2015, Colorado processed 54,958 refugees, according to data from the Colorado Office of Economic Security.
• In fiscal year 2014 alone, the Office of Refugee Resettlement reports 1,813 refugees landed in our state.
Since 1980, the largest numbers of refugees journey to Colorado from Vietnam, Russia, Burma and Somalia. When they arrive, government support provides a short window for them to find steady employment. That’s where James Ruder steps in. “I want to hire as many refugees as I possibly can,” said Ruder, owner and CEO of L&R Pallet in Denver. “It’s been so refreshing to have these guys here. I have the best team of employees I’ve ever had.”
In a sprawling warehouse sandwiched between Stapleton and Aurora, L&R constructs 10,000 pallets each day. Nearly everything Coloradans buy, eat and wear arrives or departs on pallets. Many of these pallets make their way through the L&R shop floor.
“All of us are refugees to this country at some point,” said Ruder. “If these people need refuge and God wants to make my company a place for them, that’s exciting.”
Today, nearly half of Ruder’s workforce are refugees. These craftsmen, builders and forklift drivers hail from places like Congo, Thailand and Burma. Ah Hki serves as an assistant supervisor on the shop floor.
In partnership with Lutheran Family Services and other resettlement agencies, the Colorado Department of Human Services helps to serve the incoming refugee population. Hillary Prag coordinates refugee service agencies, like Lutheran, and training schools like Emily Griffith Technical College. And she works with businesses like L&R to advocate on behalf of Colorado’s refugee population.
Refugees often come to Colorado with impressive work experiences; many were doctors, engineers, and lawyers in their countries of origin.
Many of Ruder’s new employees do not speak English. As a result, they have had to move away from written instruction manuals to more hands-on demonstration. Pallet construction is physically demanding work, often involving powerful machinery.
Some training materials now feature illustrations alongside the text. Ruder is also launching English language courses at the request of his staff. He hopes to one day offer citizenship courses and GED classes to further support his employees.
Each day, many new neighbors stream across Colorado’s borders. They come from all over the world. Some come for the mountains. Others come for the lifestyle. But all come seeking refuge. In a nondescript warehouse in northeast Denver, many of these new neighbors have found a place of refuge in a surprising place. They’ve found it at a pallet company. Chris Horst vice president of development at HOPE International. Follow him on Twitter: @chrishorst