Workforce Preparation

Resources that promote workforce preparation and reflect the diversity of adult English learners

The Change Agent: (High Beginner - High Intermediate ESOL) A biannual electronic magazine for adult educators and learners published by the New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC) at World Education, with curated submissions from adult learners across the U.S. (MA adult educators have free access to this site with login massachusetts / changeagent). Issues on topics related to work include:

CrowdEd Learning: (Literacy-Beginning ESOL) Sets of pre-beginning and beginning ESL texts with activity collections for each, focused on phonics and literacy skills. Several workforce development-related topics and texts.

Workplace Essential Skills (PBS & KET Education): an instructional media-based series which comprehensively addresses employment and workplace skills by featuring real people in job seeking and work situations. The collection contains math and language arts content contextualized to seven high demand career sectors - Transportation, Information Technology, Construction, Healthcare, Hospitality and Tourism, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Sales and Marketing.

The following are multi-step self-paced lessons about soft skills:

  • Job Search: Self-paced interactive lesson includes advice from professionals and hiring managers, as well as opportunities to review sample application materials.

  • The Interview: Self-paced lesson includes videos from a professional career counselor, interactive practice opportunities, and other ways to help students plan for a well-prepared interview.

  • Communicating at Work: Self-paced interactive lesson provides guidance on the importance of interpersonal communication skills, listening, and making a good impression.

  • Career Hacks: Nonverbal Communication: Self-paced interactive lesson focuses on the importance of nonverbal communication skills in the workplace.

Skillbase: (Intermediate - Advanced ESOL) This library of online career skills resources, developed by Harvard Business School, is full of resources to help learners find and apply for a job, improve technology skills, and develop workplace English.

Stories from the Stage:

  • Breakthrough: Stories about unexpected moments that lead to breakthrough moments in people's lives and careers.

  • Claritza's Story (starts at 10:03): Dominican woman describes the importance of resilience and never giving up in the face of challenges adapting to a new culture; the unexpected surprises that await a well-educated immigrant looking for work and ready to find the American Dream.

  • First Responders: Stories of people called to respond quickly to intense situations and facing emotional and ethical dilemmas.

  • Eureka! Stories of people having realizations that influence the path of their work and careers.