Posted on 06/20/2005 6:18:02 AM PDT by bourbon
Labor Department Announces Availability of $5 Million To Train Workers with Limited English Proficiency
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration today announced the availability of approximately $5 million in demonstration funds to test innovative and unique training strategies to serve individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Hispanic Americans.
“The ability to communicate effectively in English is an essential element to career advancement,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “This $5 million in funding will be used to develop and implement programs to address the language and job training needs of workers with limited skills in English so they can pursue promising careers in high growth industries.”
The grants will help ensure individuals have the opportunity to learn English and gain access to important employment and training programs. This demonstration program emphasizes the use of innovative strategies that simultaneously provide language and occupational skills training to open career opportunities for LEP individuals and Hispanic Americans.
“Providing individuals with basic English skills is essential in preparing them for the 21st century economy,” said Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “We are making nearly $5 million available to provide workers with the English skills and occupational job training that will help them get better jobs.”
A competitive Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) will appear in the June 16, 2005, edition of the Federal Register and remain open for the next 60 days, with grant awards to follow. The SGA will seek strategies that address challenges and increase the English proficiency and high school graduation rates of LEP individuals.
Qualified applicants will offer an array of services utilizing partnerships between the public workforce investment system, community colleges, employers and faith-based and community organizations. Programs to be considered for grant awards must help LEP individuals and Hispanic Americans access English language-based services and occupational training that lead to job placement or career enhancement opportunities in high growth industries.
That would be just about any inner-city teen......
Will they qualify the assistance based on only helping those who are legally in the country? I thought not.
Not under this lawbreaker-loving administration.
Unless there are qualifications involved -- like, recipients have to declare the goal of citizenship, for starters -- this is only more incentive for more illegal immigration.
Why not make it a requiremen of participants in this grant money, that to apply and receive funds, you must have, at the very least, "plans" to become a citizen, "plans" to become legitimate.
And, they surely must screen applicants for forged identification papers. Otherwise, it's just highway robbery many millions over.
I am finding it curiously alarming that it's stated that the Labor Department is (via this funding process, your article) taking these actions inorder to "train workers..."
There's an implication there that there's a gateway for illegal immigration: be a "worker" in the U.S., get language training and many more "free" things...all at American citizen expense.
How many border agents and benefits for them could this money provide?
I learned English the free and independent way: I went to school and I studied vocabulary and spelling and read books and took tests and...attended public schools for thirteen years (kindergarten included there).
Why can't "workers" learn English on their own? If someone wants to be a citizen, they should be studying and motivated to learn all that they can to help themselves out. Like how to fill out an application with their own name, own documentation and not false information in another language than their potential employer speaks.
Reading the article more carefully, it says that this five million is going to "test...training materials..." that would be used in instructing "...workers..." in English.
Menaing, they are going to spend the five million on companies or a company who will develope the materials, not on applicants/participants....which will probably be another five, maybe ten million more to actually provide English instruction to 'workers'.
I find the word -- "workers" -- a tad too similar to Communist China and oldline Russian communist party rhetoric, as another thing. Training "workers" sounds like a plan by some Central Communist Party Committee or something.
My English proficiency, while good, is not unlimited. Therefore, my English proficiency is limited. How much of the $5 million do I get?
One would think that we have never taught English to any foreigner before from reading this article. Of course maybe this is referring to teaching people who refuse to learn. Oh, we done that too.
What a fantastic way to waste our money!
If you want to learn to speak English, learn it on your own!
Possibly this morning I will have the answer to your question. I was transferred three times to learn that two people in Washington know the answer. One is not at her desk and the other person is in a meeting that is expected to finish at 11:00AM
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