Meet Germán: New Citizen, Aspiring Engineer
“In the USA I saw many educational opportunities, and I had a picture of myself learning English to be able to communicate effectively and pursue a career.”
Germán moved from Mexico to Florida looking for new career opportunities and personal growth. After starting a career at a leading manufacturing company in a technician role, he set his sights on becoming an engineer. To do that, Germán knew he had to enhance his English skills.
He turned to EnGen for help.
EnGen’s partnership with Guild — a national leader in opportunity creation for America’s workforce, helping employers to attract and retain top talent, and build the workforce of the future through education and skilling — made it possible for Germán to connect with career-aligned English through his employer.
He completed bite-sized English lessons with EnGen on his smartphone during breaks on the job and at home, investing about two hours per week in the platform to complete manufacturing-focused English courses specific to his industry. Via EnGen, Germán also worked virtually with a coach, who helped him set real-world goals – and build a path to reach them.
“EnGen helped me improve considerably my English skills from basic to high intermediate. I feel more comfortable and confident when communicating with colleagues.”
Germán’s improved English confidence in using English not only helped him in his current job, but also helped him reach two other major life goals.
“I was able to move forward with my education and applied to an engineering program at Oregon State University where I took an English admission test and I was accepted successfully. I also passed my civic and English citizenship test and became USA citizen.”
While Germán says the entire platform has helped him in his journey as a citizen and student, his favorite features are the live group classes, offered online with a 24/7 schedule, and the flexibility EnGen provides.
“In the group classes you learn from people with various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The platform overall provides a great flexibility to take classes, especially for those who work full-time and have family needs.”
In a recent survey of 2,500 EnGen learners like Germán, 80 percent reported achieving a career or social goal as a result of English upskilling. Ninety-three percent said improved confidence in using English, and 89 percent said they improved their job skills.
As Germán continues to see the benefits of English upskilling and advance along his path to an engineering career, he has some practical advice for new English learners.
“Learning English is an exciting journey, but learning a new language takes time. Be patient with yourself and stay persistent, even if progress seems slow at times. Keep a positive attitude and find ways to make learning enjoyable. Engaging in activities you love, like playing language games or joining interest-based discussions, can make the process more fun.”
EnGen partners with educational institutions, employers, and other workforce partners to serve tens of thousands of adult English learners like Germán. Learn how it can work for your organization: https://getengen.com/demo