Charting A Course:
Responding to the Industry-Related
Instructional Needs of the Limited
English Proficient

Introduction

Out of federal funds appropriated in Strategy A.2.5, Adult Education and Family Literacy, the Commissioner shall allocate an amount not to exceed $850,000 in fiscal year 2006 for the development of a demand-driven workplace literacy and basic skills curriculum. The Texas Workforce Commission shall provide resources, industry-specific information, and expertise identified as necessary by the Texas Education Agency to support the development and implementation of the curriculum.

Education Rider 82, 79th State Legislative Session, 2005

Adults with limited English language skills generally face poor labor market prospects. The number of English language learners in the U.S. workforce has grown dramatically over the past decade – accounting for close to half of all workforce growth (Wrigley, 2003). In Texas, 2.7 million English language learners represent a growing segment of the state’s labor pool. Still, the economic implications of this growth is often understated and underappreciated, as indicated by the inadequate financial resources set aside for the targeted population’s education and training. Unless English language learners are assisted in improving their language and job skills, workforce productivity and the state’s economy are likely to suffer over the long term.

While some English language learners arrive in this country already well educated, many others have low levels of literacy and formal education that severely limit their labor market prospects. Employers who ignore this population today are likely to regret the oversight tomorrow. While all communities like to see themselves attracting high tech, high wage, high end professional jobs, trends in economic growth point to significant job increases in the service sector, where many first time workers find entry into the world of work.

Certainly, technology plays a pivotal role in the changing landscape, as does the exportation of jobs not requiring an onsite presence. What we must not lose sight of, however, is what industry is telling us. There are many, many indirect trade and service-oriented jobs - in sub contractor and supply businesses - that support the highly technical and professional jobs in manufacturing plants, laboratories, and high tech firms (Lindsay, 2005). Most of these jobs are unlikely to be exported. Local wisdom also tells us that an aging native-born workforce is due to vacate many of these jobs within the next decade.

Generally, workers without English literacy skills and the necessary education credentials cannot access many of these jobs. Since this population represents a significant percentage of the state’s workforce, it seems wise to pursue the integration or blending of job training and English language, literacy, and math instruction as a means of better preparing the workforce and providing access to increased employment opportunities and better earnings. This will take the effort of all stakeholders with a vested interest in the Texas labor market.

Input regarding the work-related skills needed by English language learners seeking employment was solicited from the following sources to inform the findings included in this report:

• The Texas Workforce Commission provided essential labor market information and also identified potential pilot sites and employers in targeted industry sectors.
• Adult education providers and community colleges already delivering workforce-related English language instruction also provided contact information for local employers and accounts of successful practices.
• Employers representing a variety of industries were interviewed in person or by phone; a few responded to the focus questions in writing.
• Industries and occupations targeted by local workforce development boards were reviewed.
• General labor market information was reviewed.
• Information collected by economic business organizations and trade associations was considered.
• Additional information was accessed via an extensive review of current literature and reports from local, state and national sources.

Activities and Deliverables

In response to the state legislation articulated in Rider 82, the following activities were undertaken in preparation of this report and to provide Texas LEARNS with the deliverables requested:

I. Activities

1. Seek assistance from the Workforce Business Services Department at the Texas Workforce Commission to identify current targeted industry sectors for which curricula might be identified and/or developed, using the following criteria:
   • The targeted industries include opportunities for entry-level employment as well as career advancement.
   • There is skill transferability/crossover and growth potential within the targeted industries.
   • Appropriately responsive curricula can be identified, adapted, or developed within a reasonable time frame
   • There is a match between the industry sectors’ job opportunities and the needs of the English language learner population being served by adult education and family literacy.
   • The industry has been identified as an area or sector of market growth in at least one major region of the state.
2. Seek assistance from the Texas Workforce Commission in a) gaining access to resources and industry specific information, and b) identifying employers in targeted industry sectors for input regarding the work related skills needed by English language learners seeking employment.
3. Access and review the governor’s initiative on targeted industries for the state of Texas, and identify entry-level job potential within these industries, understanding that all high end / high wage / high tech jobs are supported by secondary and tertiary level jobs for which adult learners can potentially prepare and qualify.
4. Communicate with education and training providers such as adult education programs, proprietary schools, community colleges, and GREAT Centers already engaged in addressing the workforce-related educational needs of their local and regional adult learner populations to identify practices with potential for state wide replication.
5. Seek input from local workforce development networks, stakeholder coalitions, and adult learners regarding specific education and training needs in their regional service delivery areas.
6. Review successful efforts made by other states in addressing the workforce-related needs of adult learners, particularly those with limited English language skills.
7. Based on the data gathered and reviewed, the contractor will provide to Texas LEARNS, no later than August 31, 2005, recommendations for the development of curricula that can be utilized and/or further adapted in response to local workforce needs. The curricula are to be developed and piloted during fiscal years 2005-2006 and 2006-2007.
8. Provide an outline and recommendations to Texas LEARNS for the training and technical support of adult education programs volunteering to participate in incremental pilot implementation initiatives during fiscal years 2005-2007. The training and technical support will be provided via a train-the-trainers model and will include the following:
   • An introduction to a step-by-step process of planning, delivering, and sustaining workforce-related instruction to adult learners, specifically those with limited English language proficiency
   • A process for assessing a local program’s instructional and administrative readiness to deliver workplace / workforce literacy
   • Strategies for gathering local data regarding industry-specific skill needs via dialogue with employers and language task analyses
   • Strategies for developing a local plan of action
   • Strategies for optimizing agreements and local collaboration
   • Instructor preparation
   • Learner assessment and program evaluation, including the reporting of progress to employers, local workforce development, Texas Learns, and the National Reporting System regarding learners’ whose goals include gainful employment and/or retention of employment

II. Deliverables

As a result of the above-mentioned activities, the contractor will:

1. provide Texas LEARNS with incremental updates regarding activity progress;
2. provide a summary report of findings, recommendations, and next steps;
3. provide examples of at least 5 existing industry specific curricula that exist in Texas and/or other states;
4. recommend to Texas LEARNS up to five demand-driven industry sectors with potential to benefit from workplace literacy and basic skills curriculum development as per Rider 82;
5. identify Texas institution(s) with the background and experience in workforce and workplace literacy projects necessary to write or adapt curricula for the identified industries; and
6. recommend related training, program, and technical support needs for local programs.