At the request of companies within its community, Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania developed customized ESL programs designed to improve communication, increase employee retention and put workers on track for promotion.
For non-English speaking immigrants seeking opportunities for gainful employment and productive lives, English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are staples at many community colleges. In 2015, the fishcare division of MARS, Inc. — the same company that makes M&M’s candy — contacted Bucks County Community College (BCCC) to develop an ESL program for employees working in packaging and production.
MARS was seeking to increase productivity and employee retention as well as enhance the ability to promote from within rather than having to always search for good managers.
The idea of developing such a program struck a chord with Dasha B. Marchetti, the executive director of continuing education at BCCC. Her family had emigrated to the U.S. from Russia when she was a child, and she recalls her mother taking an ESL class.
Marchetti, who describes herself as someone who thinks “outside the box,” says that she was excited to develop a new venture for BCCC, which currently enrolls about 10,000 students.
Innovative idea
“It’s new and innovative and provides a much needed service to a whole new demographic in the community that we might have missed in the past,” says Marchetti. The companies that have chosen our college to provide the ESL program to their employees, not only do they want to retain them, but they also want to help provide them with the skills they need to excel. This is what a community is all about.”
