To explore the powerful ripple effects of English upskilling, EnGen brought together leaders from the Burning Glass Institute, CAEL, the Maine Department of Labor, and the Maine Department of Education. Their conversation highlighted how investing in language skills creates more resilient talent pipelines, boosts retention, and fuels economic mobility—for everyone.

Treating English as a barrier keeps talent on the sidelines. Viewing it as a gateway creates opportunity—for workers, employers, and all of us.

EnGen’s 2025 Workforce Report reflects responses from over 6,000 adult English learners highlighting the benefits of English upskilling  across industries ranging from healthcare to retail to hospitality and more.

Addressing the healthcare workforce crisis requires more than short-term fixes—it demands long-term investment in historically overlooked talent pools, including English learners, first-generation students, and frontline workers.

Michigan is deepening its commitment to building a future-ready workforce by offering to workers across the state a no-cost opportunity to learn career-aligned English skills.

Workforce development leaders play a foundational role in building job-ready talent pipelines, but many strategies overlook an important group: adult English learners.