LAWRENCE – The English Works Campaign and the City of Lawrence are pleased to announce that Mayor Dan Rivera has officially signed on to the English Works Campaign, as one more way to show his commitment to the city residents that want to improve their English language skills.
The Campaign is a statewide coalition of immigrant community leaders, labor unions, and businesses working together to increase the availability of English classes for immigrants in the workforce. Mayor Rivera joins the English Works Mayors Circle, a group of elected officials who have joined the Campaign to encourage local businesses to invest in ESOL, including the Mayors of Malden, Salem, Melrose, Lynn, Everett, Somerville, and New Bedford.
“In a community like Lawrence, where a large percentage of our residents are immigrants, it is more important than ever to have programs that focus on the improvement of English language skills,” said Mayor Dan Rivera. “English language skills increase opportunities for workers to secure jobs that will help to Make Lawrence Better.”
Since taking office a year ago, Mayor Rivera has convened a monthly roundtable of ESOL providers in Lawrence with the goal of improving access to English language classes in the city. Mayor Rivera has also committed to sponsor a Business Forum on the Workforce Training Fund Program for local businesses. At the forum, companies will learn about state funding sources that are available to train their employees, including workplace ESOL.
Launched in 2008, the English Works Campaign has successfully brought together diverse sectors in numerous cities, and helped to create partnerships between companies and workplace ESOL providers to offer workplace ESOL courses for incumbent workers. In addition to the Mayor’s Circle, the English Works Campaign includes a leadership circle composed of nine high-profile members, a steering committee, and a campaign committee of 75 organizations that work together to increase the availability of English language classes that will benefit immigrant workers, the businesses that employ them, and the Commonwealth.