Advocacy Day 2015
We urge legislators to maintain funding for LEP Pathway program, a vital program that helps put refugees to work, thereby reducing or eliminating their need for public assistance. Expand educational and vocational opportunities available to LEP Pathway participants, including re-certification for educated professionals.
- The 2010 American Community Survey reported that 21.3% of Seattle households speak a language other than English at home
- LEP individuals of working age (between 16 and 64) earn 25-40% less than English-proficient workers
- Nearly one in 10 adults are limited English proficient out of 19.2 million working-aged individuals in the US
Abdelmajid arrived to Washington with his family of four a little over a year ago. They fled their home in Sudan, a country that continues to heal from the ethnic cleansing in 2003 that displaced 2.7 million people. For Abdelmajid, part of that transition here meant finding work and supporting his family in a new place and a new culture. With support from the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Pathway, Abdelmajid was able to improve his English and find his first job at North Star Casteel in Seattle.
According to his supervisors at North Star, “Abdelmajid is a very reliable and hard worker. He picks new skills up very fast. He has become an integral worker at North Star Casteel. Abdelmajid is currently our best worker at pouring steel and is learning how to become a melter. Everyone in the foundry is grateful to have Abdelmajid as part of the company.” Abdelmajid hopes to keep learning and growing with the company, and maybe even become a supervisor one day. *
LEP Pathway is essential in helping refugees and immigrants learn English in order to get a job and provide for their family.
Resources to check out:
Investing in English Skills: The Limited English Proficient Workforce in U.S. Metropolitan Areas
U.S. English- Facts and Figures
*Story provided by World Relief, a partner organization on the Refugee and Immigrant Legislative Day