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Advocates Tell Joint Committee ESOL Strategy Needed to Fill Workforce Gaps
Summary
Advocates, employers and community groups told the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development that Massachusetts needs a coordinated, workforce‑focused strategy for English-for-speakers-of-other-languages programs to reduce long wait lists, boost wages and fill job vacancies.
Supporters of legislation to create a statewide strategy for English-language instruction told the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development on Thursday that the state’s fragmented ESOL system is leaving thousands of residents on wait lists and costing the Commonwealth jobs and wages.
“My name's Keith Mahoney. . . . I’m pleased to be here today to support House 2080 and Senate 13 26, an act to promote economic mobility through ESOL,” said Keith Mahoney, vice president for public affairs at The Boston Foundation, urging the committee to report the bills favorably.
The testimony catalogued consistent problems: long wait lists for adult ESOL classes, programs that are not coordinated across agencies, and a lack of vocational or workplace‑focused English instruction. Organizations including SkillWorks, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), MassINC (policy center), English for New…
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