2014 was a year of major change for Maria Gonzalez of Oakland. She moved to the U.S. from a small town in Jalisco, Mexico many years ago. She worked for several large, commercial bakeries over the years but was never satisfied with her income or job security. Earlier this year Gonzalez heard of a training center in Oakland and she took action.
After completing her English and computer training at The English Center, Gonzalez got a good paying job at a U.S. Post Office in Oakland.“They helped me find a job,” says Gonzalez of The English Center, which helps its graduates find jobs.
“I am very proud about it, I’m very happy,” she adds.
Gonzalez is just one of thousands of English Center graduates who have succeeded regardless of their work or educational background.
“We’ve seen so many people who were in janitorial who are now advancing in careers,” says Marcy Jackson, founder of The English Center.
Regardless of a student’s current situation, the center’s goal for them is to master the language, technology and American work culture to enter high education or start a career.
“I made a very good decision - my new job has changed my life,” says Gonzalez.
“I am more confident speaking with the people I work with and everyone.”
Hispanics who speak only Spanish have an average income that is less than half of Hispanics who speak both English and Spanish. The majority of bilingual families in the Bay Area are immigrant families, which see their lives transformed when they gain proper English skills that enable them to earn greater incomes.
For more than thirty years The English Center in Oakland has provided English and career training with the goal of securing better employment. The center is currently registering students for its next classes that start in January. The non-profit group maintains a placement rate of their graduates at 80 percent in careers and in higher education.
For more information about classes that start at The English Center on January 5, call 510-836-6700
510-836-6700 or visit www.englishcenter.edu.