NCC Awarded Grant to Help Adult Literacy Learners

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) awarded Northampton Community College (NCC) a $213,002 grant to continue to support adult English language learners in the community. The Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) grant, funded federally under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), enables organizations to provide integrated English literacy and civics education activities to adult English language learners, including professionals with degrees or credentials in their native countries. 

“All learners in this Commonwealth, no matter where they live or where they come from, have unique needs, backgrounds, strengths, and challenges,” said Acting Secretary of Education, Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “This funding will provide critical services to adult learners that will enable them to be engaged, active participants in our workforce—and, more importantly, in their communities.” 

Through the Integrated English literacy and civics education program, NCC provides adult English language learners with instruction in reading, writing, speaking, listening, digital literacy, and numeracy skills while embedding civics themes such as the democratic process, community resources, health and wellness, housing, employment, and more. Students are supported as they prepare for the U.S. citizenship test and learn their rights and responsibilities as citizens.  

In addition to English as a Second Language (ESL) and civics education, the program collaborates with NCC Workforce Training staff and employers to develop students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities for entry-level healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation/logistics occupations. Additionally, NCC plans to offer three programs in the following regional high priority occupations: community health worker, pathways to manufacturing, and truck driver training (CDL). Upon completion of the programs, students would also need to pass the required tests to gain certification in those fields. 

William Schaffer, director of Northampton Community College’s Center for College and Career Readiness, said, “It’s an opportunity for folks who may have not had access to educational services. This is an area that NCC can assist to meet the needs of employers and certainly to introduce people to some new occupations that they haven’t thought about pursuing.” 

To get into the program, students need to be 18 years old and have the necessary documentation to work in the U.S.