A multimedia Web-based instructional program that teaches Hispanic adults occupation-specific English and job skills has won national honors for Anne Arundel Community College.
            The college received an Exemplary Program in Workforce Development Award from the National Council for Continuing Education and Training for its role, with its partners, in the “Words for Work” initiative. Exemplary Program awards recognize outstanding national initiatives in four categories: continuing education, community services, workforce development and learning technologies. AACC is the only community college in the nation to win the workforce development category four times.
            Funding for the initiative came from the U.S. Department of Labor. It awarded a $1.5 million grant in 2004 to Digital Learning Group of Maryland (http://www.digitallearninggroup.org/.) to develop “Words for Work” in collaboration with AACC, representatives from the health care and construction fields along with community and faith-based groups. (See www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA2004797.htm)
            The short-term program was geared to unemployed and underemployed Hispanic adults ages 18 and up in the Baltimore region. Participants learned occupation-specific English language and related work skills for jobs in health care and construction. The program also connected them with employers, provided mentors and community support.
            AACC provided content for the curriculum plus learning activities and assessments to measure students’ progress. DLG designed and programmed the Web-based delivery of the instruction.
            Classes launched in fall 2004 in Baltimore and Annapolis took place in computer labs with a bilingual instructor providing face-to-face instruction in class and technical support during Web-based activities. The curriculum includes general workplace skills, safety practices and procedures, cross-cultural barriers and basic computer knowledge.
            The first group completed training in January 2005. To date, seven classes took place with 79 participants (62 percent of those who enrolled) completing the course. The success of “Words for Work” sparked creation of several pilot programs nationwide in California, Iowa, Mississippi and Pennsylvania.
            Local project partners include the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board of Maryland; the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs; the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; ALMAA; Annapolis OIC Job Readiness Center; Anne Arundel County and Baltimore city public schools; Annapolis Office of Economic Development; Baltimore Healthcare Coalition; Baltimore Hispanic Apostolate; Centro de la Comunidad; Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute’s East Baltimore Training and Resource Center (EBTRC); the Maryland Hospital Association and numerous regional employers.
            For program information, call Christie Timms, executive director, Digital Learning Group, at 410-795-8850 or e-mail info@digitallearninggroup.org.

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