Meet Giovanna: EnGen Learner & Bilingual Mom, Ready to Return to Dentistry
“EnGen has helped me in all aspects of my life. I have improved my English. I can go to the post office, to the bank, to school. The other day my son’s teacher asked me, ‘Have you been studying English?’ She could tell that I’ve been improving. There is still a long way to go, but I’ll get there step by step.”
Giovanna came to the U.S. from Mexico five years ago to reunite with her husband after he had relocated to Michigan for work. In doing so, she left behind a strong social network and successful decade-long career as a pediatric dentist. The transition wasn’t easy: “At first, I was very sad. When I arrived, I couldn’t understand anything. It was very isolating,” she recalls.
Giovanna knew that English proficiency would be key to rebuilding her life and livelihood in Michigan. She initially tried to learn on her own, borrowing English textbooks from the local library and attempting to study while raising three children – now ages 4, 2, and 6 months – but didn’t make much progress. She’s not alone: Due to systemic barriers ranging from overbooked classes to childcare issues to transportation challenges, just 4% of adult English learners in the U.S. are able to access instruction.
A statewide partnership forged between EnGen and the Office of Global Michigan, housed in the Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, has opened new opportunities for Giovanna and thousands of other adult English learners across the state. Michigan now offers EnGen to a variety of newcomers – from recently arrived refugees in need of literacy skills as well as internationally trained professionals with credentials and training from other countries – via local employers, community college, and other education institutions, including Van Buren Intermediate School District (VBISD).
Giovanna accesses EnGen through Adult ESL Programming funded with a federal WIOA grant allocated to VBISD. Rather than studying on her own, Giovanna attends in-person classes two nights a week and receives personalized, supplemental instruction on EnGen, which offers bite-sized, on-demand English lessons that she can complete in her spare time on her phone.
“When I do EnGen, I tell the kids that it’s time for them to study too. I’ve gotten them books about colors and animals in English. We do it together. My husband and I want to show them the example that they need to go to school and study so they can have a better future,” she says.
Via both the adult education center and EnGen, Giovanna is also receiving support to pursue her ultimate goal: Returning to her career in dentistry. As relicensing as a dentist would require Giovanna to repeat her education – a time-consuming and expensive process – she instead plans to become a dental hygienist or dental assistant.
To get there, Giovanna is accessing career-aligned coursework on EnGen – “English for Healthcare Professionals,” “English for Patient Care & Support” and “Introduction to Dentistry” – that connect her with the language skills that will allow her to later transfer into a two-year credential program.
“I love the field. I like to communicate with patients and love working with kids,” she says. “In Michigan, there’s a huge demand for bilingual dentists and staff - they need people who can speak both English and Spanish.”
As Giovanna makes progress toward her education and career goals, she has advice for others on the same journey. “Take the initiative to learn English; don’t give up. With perseverance and with each step we take we get closer to our goal.”
EnGen partners with Fortune 500 companies, regional employers, educational institutions and government agencies to serve tens of thousands of adult English learners like Giovanna. Learn how it can work for your organization: https://getengen.com/demo