Recent Media Coverage of FasTrac Language Solutions
Innovative Language Solution Begins 2nd Year...
Minnesota - Innovative language solution begins 2nd year It's an idea that gets the conversation going, and keeps it going.
Advancing the conversation,...that's one reason several East Metro hospitals are now believers in a new computer assisted language-learning program. The software innovation is the result of a collaboration between Ramsey County's Workforce Solutions and the software developer Language Solutions to sharpen literacy skills among hospital staff who are not native English speakers.
"We wanted to find a way to help people who were still learning English as their second language to be more effective in the workplace to help themselves, and their employer," says Jim Zentner of Workforce Solutions. "We knew the solution had to be creative and sustainable. The traditional classroom-teaching model would be cost prohibitive and couldn't be tailored to fit the needs of the hospitals and people with busy lives."
Deciding to pursue their pilot efforts with four East Metro health care systems, Workforce Solutions did research and went to work with Language Solutions, LLC. "The technology tool we needed was in the early stages of development. We thought it could help people refine and improve their English at a reasonable cost," says Barry Baer of Language Solutions, LLC." Our challenge was modifying the software to meet the needs of Workforce Solutions and the hospitals." Although technology gave employers the tool, supervisors who work with the program say it opens up communication channels with the English language learners and the Supervisors." We just talk to each other more now," says Dave Magill, PM Environmental Services supervisor at United Hospital, "this program has really opened the ears and minds of the rest of our staff. I really think it's helped us listen more closely and with more interest and compassion."
The software is specifically tailored to specific job classifications such as housekeeping, maintenance and food service. So far, Workforce Solutions has targeted health care jobs. They believe the software can be modified for almost any profession where English language learners are employed.
Interview Contact: James Zentner, Workforce Solutions 651-770-4483