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Tech invests in employee education with GED, ESL programsDenise Noble Institute Communications and Public Affairs In an effort to improve the quality of Georgia’s workforce, Georgia Tech continues to cultivate its own back yard. As a complement to the list of computer classes and professional development courses already offered by the Office of Organizational Development, the department has added three new workplace education programs starting this spring: General Education Diploma (GED)/Skills Enhancement, English as a Second Language (ESL) and Workplace Spanish. “An educated workforce is a productive workforce,” said Deborah Covin Wilson, director of Career Development, who organized the new programs. “Many companies have found that providing these skills has increased loyalty, reduced turnover rates and increased the opportunity for upward mobility,” she said. President Wayne Clough reinforced Wilson’s remarks. “Our dedicated staff members are a key to whether or not we can succeed as an institution, and we have an obligation to provide them the tools they need to be successful,” he said. “The workplace education programs are another step we are taking to assist our staff in their efforts to learn and grow.” These programs promise benefits for both the employee and Georgia Tech and will help address the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce. “As an educational institution, we want to engage our staff in programs that develop their skills—regardless of where they work or what they do,” said Hal Irvin, director of Organizational Development. According to Irvin there is a large number of staff members who do not have their high school diploma and a growing number of employees who do not speak English. The workplace education programs are free to employees. The only investment they make is in the form of time. Classes meet for two hours per day, two days per week, for a 10-week cycle. Georgia Tech will provide one hour of time each class day, and the employee provides one hour of his or her own time. Employees will need to go through at least two 10-week cycles. “Studies show that when it’s a shared responsibility and investment on the part of the employer and employee, there’s greater success,” Wilson said. To introduce and generate interest in the programs, Wilson went directly to the employees. She attended staff meetings for the Housing Department and the Facilities Department, working with Warren Page, director of Facilities, and Page Morton, assistant director of Housing, to publicize the programs. Employee interest in the programs has exceeded expectations—and available space. Currently, 44 employees have signed up for the GED program, 12 for ESL and 32 for Workplace Spanish with waiting lists already forming. Plans are under way for renovations of the third floor of the Savant Building to accommodate larger class sizes. Renovations should be completed by September. In the meantime, ESL classes will be taught in the Student Success Center, and GED classes are being held in Matheson Residence Hall in the computer cluster. The first cycle of the GED program starts March 27, and the first cycle of ESL begins April 10. Workplace Spanish will begin in mid to late April. The objective of the GED program is to improve basic reading, language and math skill levels of employees, which will enable them to pursue a GED. This program also will assist employees who already have a GED or high school education but need to improve their skills. The program will be taught by certified Atlanta Public School employees and will use a combination of classroom and computer-based instruction. Each employee is assessed using the Test of Adult Basic Education to place them in the appropriate level of instruction. Periodic testing will occur to measure improvement. An individual plan of instruction and goals will be developed for each employee. ESL instruction will be provided through the services of Literacy Volunteers of America. “As we continue to identify and recruit from a diverse pool of applicants, one of the barriers to successful employment is language,” said Wilson. Prior to the beginning of class, instructors will interview employees and perform skill assessments. Additional meetings with supervisors and job shadowing will be conducted to identify specific needs. A job-related curriculum then will be developed. Areas such as safety, productivity and peer relationships will be included along with specific workplace vocabulary. Workplace Spanish, which works in tandem with the ESL program, is designed for supervisors. The program will teach them basic Spanish skills so they can communicate more effectively with employees who have little or no English proficiency. Individual departments will be responsible for the training costs.
Wilson also wants to generate interest on the part of faculty, staff, students and
retirees to participate in these programs as volunteer tutors. For more information
on how to get involved, contact Wilson at 404-894-3850 or
deborah.wilson@success.gatech.edu.
Approved by the Office of External Affairs on 09/24/97
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