The demographics are changing in Fairfield County”™s workforce.
About 12 percent of households speak English less than very well in Fairfield County, according to U.S. Census Bureau data recently released. Just 20 percent speak English only.
At Lex Products, an electrical systems manufacturer based in Shelton, more than 10 percent of its workforce speaks less-than-fluent English. The company requires translators and time is often wasted on extra communication efforts.
Since offering customized English lessons to its employees, however, the company has seen an uptick in its employees”™ efficiency and confidence.
“They”™re able to communicate much better with their direct supervisors and managers,” said Patty Donahue, Lex operations manager. “They have a lot more confidence and are more willing to communicate than they were prior to this class.”
The training course included 80 hours of classroom time and 18 hours of individualized lab time. The course was designed by Strategic Solutions Group (SSG), which is a workforce development team associated with Housatonic Community College.
What”™s unique about the course is that in addition to using a traditional English as a second language (ESL) textbook, SSG used a customized workbook it created that was specific to Lex”™s machinery and products. SSG took photos and videos of the manufacturer”™s processes and developed the course material to be relevant to the employees”™ jobs.
“They”™re more productive because they can ask for the tools they need,” Donahue said. “Before they were waiting for their friend who speaks Spanish to tell them what they need to do.”
The course was the first highly-customized language program SSG has developed since forming a year ago. With the success of the training program, SSG hopes to be able to do similar projects with additional company workforces. Discussions with three separate businesses are already in the works.
To increase the state”™s workforce skill level and competitiveness, the Department of Labor”™s 21st Century jobs skills training program spent $425,000 statewide last year on workforce development projects. DOL has had discussions about funding more language training programs and helped fund Lex”™s language course.
By eliminating language barriers, companies and employees are able to communicate more effectively and without relying on an interpreter, said Joseph Jenecaro, an SSG organizational consultant who designed the course. Then there is more time to dedicate to production and increasing the quality of service and products.
Before the course started, 19 employees who participated in the program were ranked on a four-level scale in four categories: comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. At the end of the course each employee showed at least a one-level improvement in each category measured, Jenecaro said.
Now that the program is complete, many of the employees who took the class are more comfortable starting conversations with management and more confident in their jobs, he said. The top student in the class, who had shown the most improvement, is now being groomed for a promotion as well.
But beyond the workplace, Donahue said the program also improves the employees”™ lives outside of work as well. They”™re able to speak English with their kids while they”™re learning in school and communicate while at the hospital and in other situations.
“It was incredibly valuable for the individuals to participate and hopefully grow with the company and enhance their potential,” she said.
