Immigrant workers are the focus of a new education initiative involving the country’s largest retailer. A project called New American Workforce launched Friday in Miami and will offer English-language instruction focusing on work-specific language skills.
The need is there: Roughly 1.5 million retail workers across the country have limited English-language proficiency.
Miami Dade College will design the curriculum that will be piloted in Miami, Houston and New York.
“New Americans who struggle with English struggle with every other aspect of integration into American life, especially employment,” said Lee Culpepper, spokesperson for Walmart, which contributed $1.2 million to the effort. “It’s about a fair start, a clear path and unlimited opportunity. It’s all about increasing economic mobility for entry-level workers and entry-level retail workers particularly all across the country.”
The idea is to train employees in language skills, in part, on the job. According to the National Retail Federation, the sector supports roughly one in four U.S. jobs. The industry also has some of the largest numbers of people with limited English skills.
The program has already partnered with food stores like Publix and Kroger, and sponsors hope to have the first cohort of workers finish the program in the summer of 2016.