UPDATE: As of October 2018, BMI has closed down.

 

Everything about BMI screams 1990’s. From its machinery, to the wall decor; it’s a jewel in the ever changing and ever remodeling, Silicon Valley. Your nostalgic experience begins the moment you walk in.

 

Berkeley Magnetics Inc., founded in 1985, specializes in the design and manufacturing of custom magnetics. Reminiscent of a busy workplace, BMI is now a slower paced environment. Less orders, less work. 

 

But what really makes BMI unique, are the employees. This is where many have gotten their start in America. All current employees were hired as either refugees or immigrants, pursuing a better life for themselves and their families. 

 

“When they first hired me, I have no idea how they understood me. I could barely speak english," Norbeto explains. He moved here from Mexico with his family in the 1980’s.

 

Thanks to steady paycheck, Norbeto began attending college to learn English and advance his skills. He has raised three kids in California and says a lot of it is thanks to his job at BMI. 

 

Another similar case is Wameedh. He moved here from Iraq as a war refugee. Like Norbeto, Wameedh barely spoke any English when he came to the US. He was faced with an all too common dilemma: you need a job to live, but how can you get a job without speaking any english? 

 

Wameedh found opportunity at BMI. 

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