Return-Path: <nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f66945f29533; Fri, 6 Jul 2001 05:04:05 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 05:04:05 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <3B457F06.CC4D5C3A@earthlink.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Alec Levenson <aleclevenson@earthlink.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WORKPLACE:238] Re: xpost- Discussion on the NIFL-ESL list- X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.7 [en] (WinNT; U) Status: O Content-Length: 4942 Lines: 105 My work with company funded programs indicates that, for many companies, the out of pocket expense is the least "expensive" part of participating. The implicit costs of coordination and employee time (particularly where release time is involved) can be much more of an issue. Thus focusing your efforts on getting the business to recognize the need and want to do something about it may be a greater challenge than getting them to pay. That said, oftentimes outside funding from a grant may be a critical factor in getting a company-funded program off the ground, like in Linda's example below. The issue is that, yes, companies are used to paying for services. But they typically are not used to contracting for basic literacy services. And those within the company who see the need for literacy services (HR, training managers) usually have to justify their spending to others who are not necessarily inclined toward spending limited development dollars on general skills for lower skilled workers. So a grant may provide the needed leverage to get your foot in the door (in partnership with the HR/training folk). After showing the impact of your services within the organization to department/line managers, it then becomes easier to get them to use their budgets to pay for basic skills offerings. -- Alec Levenson Research Scientist Center for Effective Organizations Marshall School of Business University of Southern California 3670 Trousdale Parkway, BRI-204 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0806 213/821-1095 213/740-4354 fax alevenson@marshall.usc.edu http://www.marshall.usc.edu/ceo/ or aleclevenson@earthlink.net -- Linda Hellman wrote: > I have responded to inquiries like this before so if some of you have "heard" me > say this before, I apologize for being repetitive. I don't think that we should > be offering classes in the workplace for free. Our adult education funding is > not for profit making institutions to use for their employees. This should come > out of their training dollars. I used to run a grant funded workplace education > program and after the "seed money ran out", we transitioned into > fee-for-service. I am happy to report that we have been self sufficient ever > since. We also charge job training programs that have grants to use for > upgrading basic skills or language skills. > > It is true that some employers won't pay for the services, but the ones that do > know that other employers aren't getting classes for free. Also, when the > employer buys in, the classes are much more successful. Some give the employees > full release time, some give partial release time, and some give no release > time. Guess which classes have the highest success rate? We customize our > classes depending on the employer and provide them onsite. I tell employers > about the free classes we offer in the community and that they are welcome to > send their employees to them, but if we come onsite and customize a program for > them or even offer a more generic type of class, we charge for our services. > > Linda Hellman > Pima College Adult Education > Workplace Education Program > 1602 S. 3rd Avenue > Tucson, AZ 85713 > (520) 884-8628 > (520) 884-8614 > > "H. A. C. Watson" wrote: > > > NIFL-Workplace Subscribers do you have any response to the inquiry below. > > > > Initial Question > > > > I have been a field facilitator in St. Louis supervising a year-old > > Workplace ESL program. My > > organization offers free ESL classes to employees at some local businesses, > > including hotels and factories. One problem I've encountered is that when I > > offer something and call it "free" (because there is no cost to the employer > > or employees), the business tends not to grasp the value of the class, > > interest dwindles from the initial excitement of having an on-site English > > class, and attendance goes downhill. We've closed five sites this year > > because of lack of > > attendance, which can in most cases be traced back to lack of sustained > > enthusiasm and encouragement by the participating company. We've tried > > suggesting that they compensate their > > employees for attending class. Businesses who are willing to do this end up > > having overall more > > successful classes. But not everyone is willing to do this. My inquiry is > > this: How have you made (or seen) Workplace ESL programs work in your area? > > What are some core Do's and Dont's when it comes to opening a free ESL class > > for employees? Or is this the nature of Workplace ESL programs? I'd > > appreciate feedback. Thanks. David R. Smith > > > > There have been a number of responses on the NIFL-ESL list perhaps we can > > add our wisdom to the list. > > > > Heidi > > > > Heidi A. C. Watson > > NIFL-Workplace Co-moderator > > Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy > > 102 Rackley Building > > University Park, PA 16802 > > (814) 865-3777 or 865-6472 direct > > Fax (814) 863-6108
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Jan 18 2002 - 11:28:15 EST