Waubonsee Community College’s English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes don’t typically involve learning alongside baby goats, but that’s exactly how employees at Rustic Road Farm experienced their language classes, thanks to a unique partnership with the college.
Rustic Road Farm, located in Elburn, partnered with Waubonsee to offer customized training, on-site and embedded during the employees’ workday. Offering ELA classes to employees in this way addressed key barriers to education—time, cost, and transportation—by bringing language learning directly to the workplace.
One of the farm’s long-term customers is also an assistant dean at Waubonsee and connected the farm’s co-owners, Marc and Luis Bernard, to the college’s resources.
“I thought it was an opportunity because we do have a lot of Spanish-speaking employees on the farm,” said Marc. “We didn't think it was fair to ask the employee to give up time to go to school. But we also thought if we paid them, they'd be even more invested in attending classes.”
Customized training is one of Waubonsee’s Workforce Education Department’s offerings, where the training is developed specifically for employers’ needs.
“From the very first meeting with Marc, it was clear how invested he was in this opportunity for his employees,” said Suzanne Markin, Workforce Education Manager at Waubonsee Community College. “Removing language barriers allows companies to tap into the full potential of their workforce, creating opportunities for leadership and affecting the overall culture of the organization,” Markin added. “We hope this story will inspire other employers to consider similar training for their non-native English-speaking employees.”
For Luis, his personal experience learning English provided extra motivation to offer the opportunity to his employees. “I moved to the United States when I was 19 and had to learn English,” he said. “It opened many doors for me, including attending college and working as a special education teacher for bilingual children. This program is not just an investment in the farm, but in people’s lives.”
In addition to his role at the farm, Luis continues to teach at Oakhill Elementary in District U-46, working with bilingual special education students.
The impact of the program is already evident- both on and off the farm.
“Learning English helps a lot, not just for the job but also for talking to people outside of work,” said Magoal Gomes, Rustic Road Farm employee and Waubonsee student. “Now, I can speak with anyone.”
Jessica Wilmington, Director of Operations at Rustic Road Farm, noticed quickly how the classes fostered better communication and teamwork among staff.
“Every day your role here is different, and so we need you to be well-connected with everyone,” she said. “The classes gave them an environment to get to know each other better and learn together.”
For Marc and Luis, their hope is that the time and effort invested in their employees will help them prosper.
“We have a good crew here and we hope they’ll stay with us forever,” Marc said. “But even if they don’t, when they leave, they’ll still need language skills. It’s an investment in the farm, but more importantly, it’s an investment in people and their lives.”
If you are interested in customized training for your business, email Suzanne Markin at smarkin@waubonsee.edu or call (630) 906-4104.
Above: A curious baby goat makes a guest appearance during Waubonsee Community College’s English Language Acquisition class held, on-site for employees at Rustic Road Farm.
