The ESL department is diversifying Vocational ESL courses. The Advanced Prevocational ESL class (VESL) offered at Mid-City in the morning and evening develops students’ English language communication skills to prepare students for job training and employment. The class also provides students with the choice of seven individualized vocational ESL modules: Auto Technician, Business Information Technology (Office Systems), Certified Nurse Assistant/Home Health Aide, Family Home Daycare, Food Service and Retail. In addition, we offer an Intermediate Prevocational ESL class in the morning program at Mid-City that builds students’ oral and written communication skills and prepares students to transition to the VESL Class.
The last few years we have expanded our vocational ESL course offerings to provide language instruction for employment throughout CE. At the CE Mesa and Mid-City Campuses, afternoon English for Careers courses combine general workplace language practice with an individualized pronunciation component delivered within a career theme through Burlington English software. At the North City Miramar site, a new variation is being offered: English for Healthcare Careers. This course supports students who worked as healthcare professionals in their native countries and hope to use their skills in the U.S. The course also serves students whose personal goal is to communicate more effectively with healthcare professionals. At the Cesar Chavez campus, students can learn English and receive job training to work as a Personal Care Assistant through the VESL class taught collaboratively by an ESL instructor and an RN. Finally, at ECC a VESL instructor is supporting students with contextualized basic skills as a team teacher in the Automotive Technology training program.
Students can register for VESL classes in the ESL placement offices at each campus except for the Automotive Technology course. Please add your name to the Automotive Technology interest list to access the VESL course which is integrated into Auto 600/601.