English for New Bostonians Announces Winners of Awards for leadership on English programs for state's immigrants

English for New Bostonians Announces Winners of Awards for leadership on English programs for state's immigrants

     Two New Reports Highlight Importance of ESOL for Work

BOSTON, MA - Oct. 24. English for New Bostonians (ENB) and its English Works Campaign held the "Raising Our Voices: Recognizing ESOL Leadership in Business and the Community" breakfast to honor nine businesses and labor/management partnerships that have joined with government and non-profit agencies to offer their immigrant workers the chance to learn English at work. 

Also honored were Senators Sonia Chang-Díaz and Sal DiDomenico, and Representative Tackey Chan, for their advocacy for high-quality, accessible adult ESOL education, as well as Dr. Frances Esparza, Assistant Superintendent of the Office for English Language Learners at Boston Public Schools.

Ronald L. Walker II, MA Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development and John Barros, Chief of Economic Development for the City of Boston, over 180 state officials, business, labor and community leaders, and ESOL students attended the breakfast, which was emceed by Alberto Vasallo, III, President and CEO of El Mundo Boston.   The event was made possible through the generous support of many sponsors including C&W Services.

"Small business owners understand the business proposition of helping their workers learn English. It helps their productivity, and improves the companies' ability to compete," said Secretary Walker. "We are finding ways to better connect with the small business community to help them get ESOL training for their workers."

Two new ENB reports, one an employment survey of 1,500 adult ESOL students in Massachusetts, and the other of ENB's ESOL for Entrepreneurs initiative, were highlighted in a panel that included Secretary Walker; incoming Eastern Bank President Quincy Miller; Jolanta Conway, the Director of Adult and Community Learning Services at the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; and Warren Pepicelli, the Executive Vice President of the New England Joint Board UNITE HERE. 

ENB's Talking Jobs: Lessons from English for New Bostonians' 2016 ESOL Student Employment Survey highlighted the talent waste that often occurs in the immigration process. "We talk about immigrants coming to this country with skills, degrees, past experiences," said Eastern Bank incoming President Quincy Miller. "Because of the language barrier, they're not able to be fully employed to the level of the jobs that they had before they came here. "That credential waste is actually something serious, and having ENB really be able to fill that gap, so that, as employers, we can hire people with diverse talents, is really significant."

ENB and the English Works Campaign selected the nine business and labor/management partnerships based on nominations from the field for outstanding leadership in making English classes available to workers on the job.  "The businesses recognized here today are seeing the big picture," said Claudia Green, ENB Executive Director. "Whether they make fine suits, fine soups or fine sushi, if they provide service to hotel guests or elderly residents, these businesses understand that providing the tools for their employees to learn English has a bottom line impact on their business and their staff."

The business leaders honored at the breakfast stressed the tangible impact of English classes on their employees and their business operations. "Home Market Foods continues to invest in sophisticated manufacturing technologies and processes," said owner Wes Atamian.  "As a result, we have found that the ability to communicate effectively in English has become increasingly critical to the success of our operation."  But employees learning English has a larger impact, said Atamian. "Equally important, we believe that these skills significantly enhance the contribution our employees can make to our society beyond Home Market Foods.  Offering ESOL classes represents an investment in the company, our people and our communities."

 

Unions' role in forging opportunities for their members to learn English was also highlighted. "Out of the 11,000 workers that we represent, about 70 percent of them could benefit from ESOL classes," said Pepicelli. "Partnership between labor, management and government are critical to funding these programs, said Pepicelli. "People want to be part of this country. They want the opportunity to grow and be successful. One of the obstacles is being able to speak English."

 

Eastern's Miller also noted the impact of immigrant entrepreneurs themselves learning English. "Think about that when you want to go and apply for your first bank loan," said Miller. "Being able to sit at the bank and explain what's your business model, how are you growing, what are your financials like? That is significant. There are a lot of resources in the community for minority businesses, but we don't always get those resources to the people who need them."

Hongfang Li, a nurse who left China eight years ago to provide educational opportunity for her son won the Rising Star Student award. Having learned English and new jobs skills with two community organizations supported by ENB, Li works as a patient care technician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and is studying at Bunker Hill Community College to become a social worker so that she can help her community. "As an immigrant, I appreciate that I had a chance to receive an education in this country. Education has been changing my life. Also, education gives me knowledge, courage, and strength to help others," said Li.

Workforce Leader Awardees:

• The Boston Home with JVS
• Bradford & Bigelow with Northern Essex Community College
• Corcoran Management Co. with Massasoit Community College
• Fall River Workplace Consortium: Raw Seafoods, John Matouk & Co., Blount Fine Foods, Klear Vu Corp., New England Joint Board UNITE HERE with Bristol Community College
• Home Market Foods with Massasoit Community College/Mass MEP
• Joseph Abboud Mfg. Corp. with Immigrants Assistance Center
• JP Fuji Group with Quincy Asian Resources
• Roche Brothers with Chinese Progressive Association & Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
• Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center with World Education

 

Agents of Change Awardees:

• Representative Tacky Chan, 2nd Norfolk District
• Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, 2nd Suffolk District
• Senator Sal DiDomenico, Middlesex and Norfolk Districts
• Dr. Frances Esparza, Assistant Superintendent, Office for English Language Learners, Boston Public Schools
• Marie Downey, Director, BEST Corp Hospitality Training Center

 

Rising Star Student Awardee:  Hongfang Li

CAPTION FOR CORRESPONDING PHOTO (ATTACHED): Home Market Foods team posing with their English Works award alongside MA Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Ronald L. Walker II (first from left), and English for New Bostonians Executive Director Claudia Green (second from right). Also in the picture, Maryellen Brett (first from right), Associate Dean of Corporate Education at Massasoit Community College, the ESOL Partner.

English for New Bostonians' mission is to increase access to high-quality English language learning opportunities for adult immigrants. English Works is a statewide, multi-stakeholder campaign calling upon business, labor, community and government leaders to dedicate the needed public and private resources to create a sustainable, high-quality English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) system that addresses the needs of immigrants, their employers and the Commonwealth.

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BAKER-POLITO ADMINISTRATION AWARDS MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION IN DIRECT ACCESS TRAINING GRANTS

BAKER-POLITO ADMINISTRATION AWARDS MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION IN DIRECT ACCESS TRAINING GRANTS 

Grants awarded to organizations that provide training for Massachusetts businesses 

BOSTON, MA, OCTOBER 27 2016 – The Baker-Polito administration today awarded more than $1.28 million in grants to 12 training organizations that will work with Massachusetts businesses to improve their employees’ skills. 

The grants – known as the Direct Access Program - were created for smaller-scale training needs, and cover the entire cost of training for employees from Massachusetts businesses of all sizes. The grants make training slots available free of charge to businesses that are eligible for the Workforce Training Fund.

“Our administration is working hard to find innovative ways to help workers receive the training they need to advance their skills,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “These grants are a fantastic way to give workers new skills, while meeting the smaller-scale training needs of Massachusetts businesses.”

“Continued training and skill development is vital to our state’s continued economic success,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “These grants will help businesses and workers become more prosperous and competitive, improving the Commonwealth’s overall economy.”

The Workforce Training Fund aims to promote job growth, job retention, and increased opportunities and wages for workers by increasing business productivity and competitiveness for Massachusetts businesses.

“One of the things we hear from Massachusetts employers all the time is they need more skilled, trained workers,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker, II said. “We encourage all businesses and training providers to look into this grant program. It makes a difference to both employers and employees.”

The businesses that send workers to training must pay their workers’ salaries during the training period.

Commonwealth Corporation – the quasi-state agency that oversees the Direct Access grants through the Workforce Training Fund – requires organizations that provide the training to demonstrate expertise and capacity in selected topics. Applicants were required to select one type of training to deliver, including:

•         PROCESS IMPROVEMENT & QUALITY ASSURANCE  - such as Lean Process, Continuous Improvement, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, Kanban, 5-S, Six-Sigma, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Quality Management System (QMS), ISO, NADCAP, DOE, Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA), Statistical Process Controls (SPC), AS9100, HACCP, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)

•         PROFESSION/INDUSTRY SPECIFIC & TECHNICAL SKILLS  - such as Machining, Milling, PLC Programming, Blueprint Reading, Welding, Specific Technology Training, HR, Pharmacy, Clinical Skills, Financial Reporting, Food Safety Certification, CAD-CAM, Solidworks

•         NON-TECHNICAL PROFESSIONAL SKILLS  - such as Microsoft Office and other non-technical software, business writing, presentation skills, project management, Agile Methodology, Adobe Software

•         INTERPERSONAL / SOFT SKILLS  - such as team building, cultural awareness, communication skills, listening skills, problem solving, time management

•         ADULT BASIC EDUCATION  - basic reading (not including ESOL), basic writing (not  including ESOL), basic math

•         IT & SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION  - such as information systems management, database management, IT systems administration, IT security management, customer relations management (CRM) systems administration

•         SALES & CUSTOMER SERVICE (not including sales force management)

•         ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)

•         MANAGEMENT / SUPERVISORY / LEADERSHIP SKILLS - Management skills development, leadership development, management of sales Force, supervisory skills development, risk management, financial accountability

The following organizations were awarded grants:

Applicant	Total Granted	Course Topics
YMCA of Greater Boston - International Learning Center 18 Tremont Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA  02108	$50,408	ESOL
Cape Cod Community College 2240 Iyannough Road, West Barnstable MA 02668	$122,000	Interpersonal/Soft Skills
William von Achen dba Strategic Management Resources 28 Jefferson Road, Wellesley, MA 02481	$100,000	Interpersonal/Soft Skills
Employers Association of Northeast P.O. Box 1070, Agawam, MA 01001	$200,000	Leadership/Management/ Supervisory
Associated Industries of MA One Beacon Street; Boston, MA 02108	$100,000	Leadership/Management/Supervisory
Northern Essex Community College 360 Merrimack Street, Building # 9, Lawrence, MA 01843	$120,750	Leadership/Management/ Supervisory
Retailers Association of MA 18 Tremont St, Suite 810, Boston, MA, 02108	$106,500	Social Media Marketing, E-commerce
Quality Support Group 4 Essex Center Drive #3971 Peabody, MA 01960	$93,000	Process Improvement and Quality Assurance
Haley & Aldrich, Inc. 465 Medford St., Suite 2200 Boston, MA 02129	$106,500	Process Improvement and Quality Assurance
Imajine That 354 Merrimack Street, Lawrence, MA 01843	$113,750	Training for early childhood and out-of-school time educators
Mass Biotechnology Education Foundation 300 Technology Square Cambridge, MA 02139	$60,800	Project Management
MA Home Care Aide Council/Foundation 124 Watertown Street, Watertown, MA 02472	$112,500	Enhanced Care for Vulnerable Home Care Clients
TOTAL	$1,286,208

BuildBPS Open House to Showcase Future of Boston Public Schools

Interactive, hands-on two-day event examines 10-year facilities and educational vision of BPS

BOSTON - Thursday, October 27, 2016 - This weekend, on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Bruce Bolling Municipal Building, 2300 Washington Street in Roxbury, Boston Public Schools (BPS) will host the BuildBPS Open House focusing on the district's 10-year educational and facilities master plan. This event will have exhibits, activities, discussions, and more for community members seeking to learn about the long-term educational and facilities vision for the city's public schools.     "The Boston School Committee is excited to see our students and their families get involved with these exhibits, activities and discussions," said Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael O'Neill. "This event allows everyone from our community to weigh in and come together to share their opinions." The BuildBPS Open House marks the first time BPS has held an experiential event of this size for a major district-wide initiative.     "Innovation is key to the success of our students and for the growth of our schools," said BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang. "This open house allows our community to see the future of BPS and explore the various ways our growth will make our school system competitive in an advancing world."   In addition to Build BPS activities, the Open House will also host early voting on Saturday from 12:00-6:00 p.m. BuildBPS was launched on September 29, 2015 by Mayor Martin J. Walsh to provide a strategic framework for facilities investments, as well as align the Mayor's vision of fostering exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. Activities include: On Saturday and Sunday,hands-on challenges with LEGO Education North America and the Latino STEM Alliance, in which participants will be challenged using LEGO's robotics platform while engaging in classroom tools and learning how to code. Interactive Art and Play Activities with Reimagine Play: Reimagine Play, in collaboration with BPS, will feature interactive art and play activities using its newly designed play structures, including a giant slackline nest, LED stackable light cubes and a box art maze, as well as the classic geo-dome climber. Activities are designed to encourage movement and creative imagination. Attendees will have a chance to learn how to slackline, climb the structures, build mini geodesic domes and decorate the maze. Emerson Engagement Lab Hosts Student Activities: Emerson College's Engagement Lab will hold a workshop on "Emerging Citizens," its newest suite of digital and media literacy games. Each game encourages students to engage with culturally and politically relevant topics that affect their daily lives while focusing on a specific 21st century digital modality - hashtags, memes, and hyperlinking. The workshop will focus on how game-based interventions fit within the larger context of digital and media literacy discourse. Science Experiments and Activities with Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Stop by and hear from our partners at Vertex! There will be interactive lab experiments with pipettes, tubes, DNA origami - an activity that allows one to fold a piece of paper into a double helix and model the structure of DNA - and more with our community partner, Vertex. Discussions include: Equity and Excellence (Discussion): How does equity and excellence flourish in the same space? Understanding the Long-Term Financial Plan (Discussion): What financial choices must be made in Boston Public Schools to enable the rich academic offerings that Boston students deserve? What are the tradeoffs associated with each of these potential choices? Design Your Future: Footwear Industry Exploration (Discussion): How might BPS create pathways into industry that levels the playing field- particularly for students of color? Summer Jobs vs. Summer Careers (Discussion): How can BPS create a pathway with summer options that leads to more productive and better supported future career opportunities? Resilient City/Resilient Schools (Discussion): With race relations at the forefront of our national and local media- how do we interrupt this unrest and ensure that Boston is a leader in creating healing partnerships? STEAM Innovations (Discussion): How should BPS prepare its students to fully engage in opportunities that expose them to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Design and Math), and what are the innovations we might expect from those experiences? Youth Voice (Discussion): How can we amplify student voice in the design of the future of BPS? Why Innovation? (Discussion): How do we solve for who gets to innovate once we bring our schools into the future? The full BuildBPS Open House agenda is available on the Boston Public Schools website.

State and Local Officials Recognize Newburyport Company During Massachusetts Manufacturing Month

State and Local Officials Recognize Newburyport Company During Massachusetts Manufacturing Month

Mark Richey Woodworking Inc. Recognized for Leadership in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

NEWBURYPORT – October 27, 2016 – State energy and environment officials today joined the Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) and other state and local leaders at an event to recognize the alternative energy and energy efficiency accomplishments of Mark Richey Woodworking Inc. (MRW) of Newburyport, MA. The event was held to coincide with October being named “Massachusetts Manufacturing Month” by the Baker-Polito Administration to honor the contributions of the manufacturing industry in Massachusetts.

“By understanding that long term cost savings will offset the installation and capital costs of equipment, Mark Richey Woodworking Inc. sets an example for how Massachusetts businesses can successfully incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy into their business model,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.“The Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance works each day to help businesses make their operations more energy efficient as part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to supporting Massachusetts businesses and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

The event at MRW recognized the company for achieving its goal of 100 percent onsite renewable energy generation. MRW is now a net producer of electricity as a result of facility improvements and key management decisions made between 2005 and 2016. Additionally, MRW has implemented several alternative energy and renewable energy systems in their facility including a biomass boiler, 600 kW wind turbine and 500 kW solar array. The company specializes in producing high-end architectural millwork wood products for their corporate, institutional, and residential clients.

“Since OTA staff began working with Mark Richey, Greg Porfido, and Michael Ort in 2011, we have witnessed their dedication and commitment to reducing their contribution to climate change,” said Rich Bizzozero, Director of OTA. “We are thrilled to honor MRW for its environmental prowess during Massachusetts Manufacturing Month, and equally excited to showcase that 100 percent onsite renewable energy makes good business sense.”  

“Energy initiatives have been great for our business; we want to be a company that’s good for the environment,” said MRW Founder and President Mark Richey.

“Mark Richey Wordworking’s effort to improve the environment through the use of wind, solar and biomass is commendable,” said State Representative James Kelcourse (R-Amesbury). “Their concern for the well-being of future generations is something that we should all be proud of and work hard to practice ourselves.”

OTA provides Massachusetts businesses with free, non‐regulatory and confidential assistance with reducing their use of toxic chemicals, energy and water, and compliance with relevant environmental, health and safety regulations. To find out more about OTA’s services, visit their website.