English language classes key to region's future

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From SouthofBoston.com

English language classes key to region's future

By Elaine Allegrini, Enterprise staff writer

STOUGHTON Teaching the English language to immigrants is crucial for
sustaining the region's workforce, business and education leaders agreed
Friday as they pledged to work together to expand the area's English
language courses, programs and workshops. "The need for employees speaking
the English language is critical to our success," said James Blake,
president of HarborOne Credit Union. He was among the panelists and
featured speakers who spoke to about 80 business, education and social
service leaders about the crisis facing employers during an "English for
All" summit Friday at New England Sinai Hospital's Brenner Conference
Center.

Immigrants have kept the area's workforce afloat at a time when many
skilled and educated workers are leaving the state, said Michael Goodman,
director of economic and public policy research at the University of
Massachusetts. He said the state must focus on the locals people born here
and those who immigrated here to grow the workforce. And, without English,
immigrants are unable to fill some jobs and progress into higher-paying
jobs. "It's an economic imperative as well as a social one," Goodman said.
"When an immigrant is unable to read the language, they miss opportunities
in the community," said Kirk Davis, Enterprise NewsMedia CEO and publisher
of The Enterprise.

Newspapers are often the first exposure to English for many immigrants, he
noted. In 10 years, diversity in the Brockton schools has shifted from 65
percent white to today's 35 percent white with many bilingual students,
said Superintendent of Schools Basan Nembirkow, an immigrant himself who
recalled his own experiences growing up in a bilingual household. He said
educators often find it difficult to communicate with non-English speaking
parents. In the workplace, English is critical to safety, training and
production quality, said Peter Neville, president of Concord Foods.

"Even something as simple as food has become complicated enough that we
speak English only," Neville said. Yet more than 2,000 Brockton-area
residents are waiting to enter English-as-a-second-language programs
offered by public schools, libraries, faith-based organizations, colleges,
private employers and more. Educators say they have teachers and
classrooms, but need support and money to expand them. They offered to
tailor programs for individual businesses and suggested smaller companies
combine to provide education.

"We are serious about meeting your needs, helping you meet your needs,"
said Charles Wall, president of Massasoit Community College. But he joined
Brockton School Superintendent Nembirkow in identifying money as a major
challenge. "If we have to fight for money, let's fight for money and let's
get it into this region," said HarborOne's Blake. The summit brought
together the people that can make it happen, said Christine Karavites of
PROTEAS Consulting, who organized the program for MetroSouth Chamber of
Commerce. She said a committee of business and education leaders would be
assembled to meet the challenges. "There will be follow up and action,"
she said.

Elaine Allegrini can be reached at eallegrini at enterprisenews.com.
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2006/03/10/news/news/news02.txt