EfA provided vocational English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), including lessons focused on answering job interview questions, communicating in the workplace, and finding a job. EfA participants attended classes for 2 to 12 months, depending on their skill and education level. About 24 months after the program’s start, evaluators followed up with participants to assess participants’ employment and earnings. To be eligible for the program, individuals needed work authorization documents, availability to attend EfA’s classes, a Social Security card, and the desire to obtain a job. Jewish Vocational Service recruited from several cities in Massachusetts. The study was conducted as part of the Massachusetts Pathways to Economic Advancement evaluation study, and it was one of the first programs to focus exclusively on workforce development in English-as-a-second-language learners.
EfA, a program offered by Jewish Vocational Service in Boston, promoted the economic mobility of limited English speakers by providing English instruction and workforce development services.