New Norwich adult education program combines English learning and career readiness

Since Norwich Adult Education often has a long wait list, three former instructors from there wanted to offer their own program.

Rose City Learning Center , a nonprofit organization, will hold its first session in the fall. The organization is looking for up to 50 adults who want to improve their English for career settings, Director and instructor Kelly Ennis-Davis said.

The program has been in the works since the fall, but Ennis-Davis, along with Program Coordinator and instructor Mikayla Punsalan and Support Services Director Andrea Dawley, only left Norwich Adult Learning in June, after this past school year ended, Ennis-Davis said. Norwich Adult Learning is a part of Norwich Public Schools.

The three are supported by a board of six, who “have experience in nonprofits and a deep connection to the Norwich community,” Dawley said.

Many people enrolling in adult English classes want a job or a better job. They may have prior experience or advanced degrees, but they can’t find a job that can support themselves and their families, Ennis-Davis said.

“Each of them has a story to tell, and its heartbreaking that there’s this long waiting list,” she said.

Enrollment begins in August. The classes will run from September to December, and cost $35, Ennis-Davis said.

Dawley is looking forward to teaching the students interviewing skills, and helping them write resumes and connecting them to community resources, she said.

What are the classes like?

Students will be assessed on their English skills at the start of the classes, and will say what their goals are. After that, they’ll learn English in class, and be given access to the EnGen Learning Platform , so they can continue learning goal-specific English outside of class, be it for getting a driver’s license, talking with a child’s teacher, or language for a specific career, Ennis-Davis said.

The classes are four days a week. The program will also feature field trips, and weekly speakers who will connect students to resources, and totals to 15 hours of instruction per week.

Community connections

The Learning Center has built relationships with other organizations and businesses in the community, so students can have access to both resources and job opportunities. They include United Community and Family Services, United Way, Mohegan Sun, Electric Boat, and more, Ennis-Davis said.

These language classes help the community by both providing more bilingual individuals for hire to the business community, and it has a positive influence on the children, Ennis-Davis said.

This type of work not only affects the individual, but there’s also a trickle-down affect to their children,” she said. “Children that see this tend to be more successful themselves.”

Seeing people who have experience in Norwich create this program “is going to add value, not only to the city of Norwich, but beyond,” Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Angela Adams said.

What's next?

In the future, Rose City Learning Cetner would also like to offer citizenship classes, as some companies, like Electric Boat, require it. The center also wants to offer online classes, and grow to 100 students at a time, Ennis-Davis said.

As of July 23, the Rose City Learning Center hasn’t picked its physical location, but wants to expand its footprint when the time comes. Other programs that inspired the Learning Center, including the Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport and the Genesis Center in Providence, also have on-site daycares for the adult students to leave their kids, and the latter has a restaurant run by students in the culinary program.

“The sky’s the limit and we’re super excited,” Ennis-Davis said. “There’s going to be a need in Norwich for years to come.”

The Rose City Learning Center is receiving grant funding, but is seeking both volunteers and donors. The organization is also fundraising, including during the Norwich Sea Unicorns’ game on Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: New Norwich adult education program combines English learning and career readiness