ETIP Funds—What are they? And how can I use them?

March 29, 2011 By

Have you ever wished your Limited English Proficient (LEP) employees could learn the functional English they need to do their jobs more safely, efficiently and comprehensively? That you could cross-train your LEP employees, putting them on the path to promotion?

Investing in your workforce is a crucial business practice. Employee Training Investment Program (ETIP) funds are a great way to subsidize on-site vocational language training. To procure ETIP funds, you must be in a funding-eligible category and pay a percentage of all training costs, including books, instruction, materials and wage reimbursement.

In addition to vocational, technical or remedial skills training, ETIP providers are a great source of free training for innovative technology best practices, embracing lean principles, expanding into new markets and preparing for ownership or management succession.

For more information about ETIP funding in Illinois or your home state, please contact Hilary Hodge, Director of Programs, at hilary@workforcelang.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

English classes at work the best way to go

July 28, 2009 By

With immigration reform on the horizon and a potential mandate that all immigrants speak English, a new dilemma arises: where can people learn English? ESL classes aren’t always available due to long waiting lists and state budget cuts.

Moreover, it’s been reported that only 39% of ESL students reach a proficiency that can advance them to the next level. Why? Because with work and family responsibilities, students rarely have the time to devote to a full course load.

The solution, Marisa Trevino proposes in a USA Today editorial, is teaching immigrants English at work, embracing a shared responsibility between employer and employees. Not only could the employer get a future tax break, they are training their employees in an essential skill necessary to perform their job. Case in point:

TV station WFAA found that hundreds of low-level commercial aircraft mechanics in Texas had the necessary skill set for the job, but they lacked the language skills to communicate with supervisors or to read repair manuals. The report prompted Congress to demand that by March, the Federal Aviation Administration require all mechanics to be proficient in English.

McDonald’s is also following suit. They’ve created a 22-week ESL program for entry level management workers. The classes combine onsite and virtual language learning. Trevino concludes:

McDonald’s has learned what many ESL programs already have confirmed: The will to learn English is there. Smart companies will follow suit. It’s a win-win-win situation for employer, employee — and country.

Click here to read the full editorial.

We can help! To find out about WLS’s onsite English and Spanish language classes, click here.

Filed Under: Education, English in the Workplace, Immigrant workforce, Immigration in the US, Language Policy Tagged With: ,

Diversifying The Construction Site

October 29, 2007 By

It’s no secret that the construction industry is becoming more and more Hispanic, and we continue to see this trend in the media and from our clients. This article outlines the importance of learning Spanish to better manage an Hispanic worforce.

Recent years have seen a large influx of Hispanic workers into the allied trades, particularly drywall and concrete work. In fact, a 2004 study by professors at the Texas A&M University reported that Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority population in the construction industry.

The recruitment of Hispanic workers into the construction industry is complicated, however, by the large number of immigrants who speak English sparingly, if at all. Whether the language factor contributes to the inordinately high percentage of Hispanic fatalities in the construction industry, which was the focus of the Texas A&M study, is open to debate. But no one doubts that it is imperative for supervisors to be able to communicate with workers — and for workers to be able to communicate with each other — on the construction site.

Lately the industry has been shifting direction regarding the language issue. Years ago, the effort was directed without much success at urging Spanish-speaking workers to learn English as a second language. Now, there are programs through Associated General Contractors that provide Spanish-language training for English-speaking construction superintendents and foremen.

Filed Under: English in the Workplace, Immigrant workforce, Spanish in the Workplace Tagged With: , , , ,
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