For 20 non-native English speakers, that's just what WorkSource and ACC are doing. The students in the first-ever Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) – Administrative Assistant class at Austin Community College District (ACC) are being given an opportunity to learn valuable, practical, real-world job skills while improving their English at the same time.

“I wouldn't be able to take college classes without it,” said one student of WorkSource's funding.

“It changed my educational outlook,” said another student who never thought she'd be able to take college classes.

Another enrollee, Jean Hu, worked as an office assistant in China, but was unable to find a similar job in the United States. She credits the VESL class as enabling her to learn job-specific language and procedures that were simply too overwhelming.

“There's some fear for non-native English speakers when they try to enter the job market or take college-level classes,” said Barbara Rotolo-Caballero, a VESL Instructor at ACC. “These students are the real risk-takers.”

And, according to Ruthie Foster, the VESL program administrator, those risks are paying off: “It's been a win-win all the way around because students and teachers can exchange information about continuing their college education based on their needs and interests, and it's all in the same place.”

In fact, Foster said the students were distinctly focused when James Helton, a career counselor from WorkSource, spoke to the class about resumes and interviews. It helped them see how close they were to taking that next step, and attaining a level of success they once thought unreachable.

Indeed, the demographics of Travis County indicate how important these types of training are. According to the Texas Education Agency and the Austin Independent School District, 16% of students in Travis County schools are Limited English Proficient (LEP)1 and over 63 languages are represented. In fact, in some schools, over 90% of the students speak a language other than English at home.2 VESL programs are one way to ensure that these LEP students receive the training – both language and vocational – that they need to be a successful participant in the future Texas workforce.

Participants in the VESL classes at ACC are all legally authorized to work in Texas and represent 22 different languages. WorkSource received $143,015 from Texas Workforce Commission to develop and pilot two VESL programs at ACC: Administrative Assistant and Dental Assistant. Look for a feature in the next issue of WorkSourceNews about the Dental Assistant class.

1 TexasEducation Agency Web site: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2006/xplore/DistByCounty.html

2 Austin Independent School District Web site: http://www.austinisd.org/inside/docs/ope_Immigrant_Report_rev_20070321.pdf