How to Become a Multicultural Liaison Officer: Career Path Guide
To become a multicultural liaison officer, you either need to have a background in working with individuals from different cultural groups in a capacity related to your employer’s area of operations, or have a college diploma or university degree in a field related to your employer’s area of operations (such as marketing, social services, policing, education, resource extraction, banking, etc.).
Before you decide to pursue a career as a multicultural liaison officer however, you should consider if this career path is a good fit for your skills, interests and personality traits. If the following description sounds like you, then you’re probably well suited for a career as a multicultural liaison officer:
• You have knowledge about different cultural communities, and the issues they face in becoming part of the larger community
• You have respect for all people, regardless of their cultural differences
• You enjoy working with individuals and families from a variety of backgrounds
• You have a keen interest in helping families from different communities integrate into the larger community
• You enjoy helping and advising others
• You have a client-centered approach to work activities
Below we've provided detailed information on what you'll need to begin a career as a multicultural liaison officer. We've also included helpful information for this career, such as job description, job duties, salary expectations, educational requirements, a list of possible employer types, and much more!
Education Needed to Become a Multicultural Liaison Officer
The educational requirements for becoming a multicultural liaison officer can vary from one employer to the next.
Some employers require applicants to only a high school diploma, provided they have three to five years of experience in a related capacity; while other employers may require their multicultural liaison officers to have a post-secondary diploma or degree in a field related to the organization's business (such as marketing, social services, policing, education, resource extraction, banking, etc.).
Success Tip: Coursework or a degree in the liberal arts, such as sociology, can also be beneficial for this career:
What is a Multicultural Liaison Officer?
Multicultural liaison officers (MLO’s) are human services specialists. They act as a liaison between a public service agency and individuals from different cultural groups who make use of the services provided by that agency. For example, an MLO may be hired by a local school board to help immigrant students and their families integrate into local schools.
Multicultural liaison officers help identify the needs of individuals and families from different cultural groups, and match those needs with the resources and support programs of their organization, as well as outside services.
One of their primary objectives is to help strengthen individuals and families by helping them connect with the larger community. Their other main objective is to strengthen the support programs themselves, by gaining a better understanding of the needs and concerns of each community, and using that information to identify service gaps.
Multiculturalism Liaison Officer Job Description
The job description of a multicultural liaison officer can vary, typically depending on the nature of their employer.
Schools: Many schools and school boards employ multicultural liaison officers, as school are one of the first services that families connect with in the community. Their primary objective is typically the successful integration of immigrant children and their families in schools.
In a school setting, MLO’s are available to support students, families and school personnel by facilitating communication in spite of linguistic or cultural differences. In schools, MLO’s are also responsible for working with school administration, teachers and other officials to make necessary changes to help accommodate immigrant and refugee families’ perspectives on education.
Police: Multicultural liaison officers that are employed by police services are responsible for helping to enable culturally and faith diverse communities access local police services, as well as providing new and emerging communities with information on local and regional legislation, and on the role of police in their area. They are also responsible for providing police with information and advice on policing diverse communities.
Government Services: MLO’s that work for government service agencies help members of multicultural communities access government programs and services by building relationships. They are also responsible for getting feedback from the communities they serve about the impact and effectiveness of government initiatives have.
Business: Act as a labor relations specialist or customer service specialist for a business or other organization, and be responsible for facilitating communication among groups or individuals with linguistic or cultural differences that are employees of that organization, or individuals that are served by that organization.
Multiculturalism Liaison Officer Job Duties
Although the specific job duties of a multicultural liaison officer can vary depending on their specific level of responsibility and the type size and type of their employer, they are generally responsible for performing the following duties:
• Provide counseling in a variety of situations that may arise due to cultural or linguistic differences
• Assist and support individuals and families with cultural adjustment issues
• Refer newcomer families to community resources to help and adjust to life in their new country
• Act as a liaison between client and institution, or among employees
• Promote cross-cultural competency training and workshops
• Work cooperatively with the employees or volunteers of the client institution, agency, department or organization
• Provide management with information related to the various cultures represented in their organization, agency, or institution
• Provide employer with client and community feedback
• Provide clients with community resources to support and assist them further
• Identify service gaps and barriers, to help improve customer satisfaction
Who Hires Multicultural Liaison Officers?
Multicultural liaison officers may be employed by virtually any organization that has an interest in developing and fostering positive relationships among people from different cultural groups, as well as organizations that seek to help immigrants effectively integrate into the larger community.
Multicultural liaison officer jobs can commonly be found with the following types of organizations:
• Elementary and secondary schools
• Colleges and universities
• Non-profit organizations and community groups
• Public and privately owned businesses in virtually any sector
• Municipal, provincial/state and federal government departments (such Department of Human Services)
• Police services
• Multicultural and immigrant service consultancies
• Hospitals and healthcare authorities
Multicultural Liaison Officer Salary
The salary level of multicultural liaison officers can vary on a number of factors, including:
• Their level of education
• Their level of experience and aptitude
• The size and type of their employer
• What sector of industry they work in (i.e. education, government, etc.)
There is no information available from reliable sources related to the salary level of Multicultural Liaison Officers. We can however, get a good idea of what they earn by looking at the salary level of workers in closely related occupations.
Multicultural Liaison Officer Salary Alberta: According to the 2013 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, the average salary of Albertans working in the Administrative Officers occupational group is $58,613 per year, and that of workers in the Educational Counsellors occupational group is $63,756 per year.
Multicultural Liaison Officer Salary Canada: According to Service Canada, the average salary level of Canadian workers in the Administrative Officers occupational group is $48,709 per year, and that of workers in the Educational Counsellors occupational group is $52,380 per year.
Multicultural Liaison Officer Salary United States: According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary level of American workers in the School and Career Counselors occupational group is $53,610 per year, and that of workers in the Labor Relations Specialists occupational group is $54,630 per year.
Characteristics Needed to Become a Multicultural Liaison Officer
In order to enjoy being a multicultural liaison officer, you need to have certain traits. Taking enjoyment from your duties, and your career at large is important, as it helps you maintain a positive attitude towards your work, which can lead to having a long and successful career.
• Respect for all people, regardless of ethnic or cultural background
• Enjoy working with individuals and families from a wide variety of backgrounds
• Enjoy coordinating programs and services
• Enjoy advising others
• A genuine interest in helping people and families solve problems
• An interest in fostering individual and organizational growth
• An interest in supporting immigrants and individuals from minority groups
• An interest in creating a welcoming environment for immigrants and individuals from minority groups
• An interest in greatly contributing to the success of those who make use of liaison services
Skills Needed to Become a Multicultural Liaison Officer
In order to become effective in a career as a multicultural liaison officer, and perform your job duties with competence, you need to posses a certain set of skills, including:
• The ability to consistently project a positive, professional image
• The ability to maintain a balanced perspective
• Knowledge about different cultures and integration issues
• Able to write concise reports and facilitate communication and group learning
• Computer literacy, including the use of presentation software
• A client-centered focus to work activities
• A cost-conscious attitude
• Able to maintain awareness of organization’s and external resources for different communities
• Able to provide language, cultural interpretation and mediation at meetings
• Knowledgeable about the field in which their employer works (for example, education administration, government services, etc.)
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Careers Similar to Multicultural Liaison Officer
Listed below are careers in our database that are similar in nature to Multicultural Liaison Officer, as they may involve many of the same skills, competencies and responsibilities.
References: Multicultural Liaison Officer Career Information
Please consult the references below to find more information on the various aspects of a career as a multicultural liaison officer.
Occupations in Alberta: “Aboriginal Liaison.” (March 3, 2016). ALIS website - Alberta Learning Information Service. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
Community and Social Service: “School and Career Counselors.” (September 4, 2019). Occupational Outlook Handbook - United States Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
Best Practices in Settlement Services: “Multicultural Liaison Officer (MLO) Program.” (October 2, 2010). Government of Canada website. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
Services: “Multicultural Service Officers.” (n.d.). Australian Government - Department of Human Services website. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
Scholarships for Becoming a Multicultural Liaison Officer
Scholarships listed for majors that apply to becoming a Multicultural Liaison Officer can be found on our All Scholarships by Major page.
Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any scholarships that you even barely qualify for, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants!
Becoming a Multicultural Liaison Officer: Applicable Majors
Studying one of the university majors listed below is an excellent starting point to becoming a multicultural liaison officer. Click on the links to find out what else you can do with these majors!
