The Adult Education & Diversity Program had received a $141,400 grant from the California Community Foundation on Nov. first of last year.

The grant is going to be used in a two-year period to pay teachers to teach in the workplace.

Employees from Northgate Market who would like to improve their language skills may do so when they register in the program.

The program is offered to anyone entering Cerritos the College Business Division, and/or any of the Adult Education programs.

Courses included are English as a second language (ESL), Citizenship, Vocational English as a second language (VESL), General Education Development, Occupational Preparation, and Older Wiser Learning (formerly Emeritus College).

Graciela Vasquez the director of the Adult Education & Diversity program, said, “this foundation is paying instructors to teach the classes at the market. The students will have the teachers, the books; they will also have a counselor to go to the site and have additional information of classes being offered at the college and if they want to transfer over to the college and get a Retail Management Certificate, they can.”

The ultimate goal in this program is to introduce various career and educational opportunities to the employees of Northgate Market.

The program will offer two classes a year and it will only be offered to workers from two Northgate Markets, one in Paramount and the other in Norwalk.

“It is very beneficial to the company as well for the employees, they are very excited and it will help them learn the company level at the store. It is another benefit we offer to the employees,” said Alfred Torres Store Manager of Northgate Market in Paramount.

The workers will meet three times a week: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and will meet from 1:30p.m. to 3p.m.

Laura Acosta, one of the workers who attends the classes said, “It’s a good thing that the market is doing [this] for us, I have went three days and I like it.”
 
Another worker, Mynor Dosen who is not enrolled in the program said, “my fellow employees are starting to talk to me in English, they’re learning new things and having fun in the process.” 

Immigrants who are working in this level don’t have an idea of the resources and services that are available to them. Northgate Market will offer this program to their employees.