More than 150 Eastern European migrant workers are being given free English lessons to help them get work in Salford.
The courses are being held four days a week to cope with demand at the Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre in Eccles.
People from Poland, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Romania have registered for the course.
Centre manager, Alec McFadden, said: “The vast majority were skilled in their own country – we have teachers, engineers, drivers, and care workers, on the course.
“Others have been here a few years but have been unable to speak English.
“Polish and other migrants tend to socialise with each other, this will help them integrate with English people.
“We were aware that a large number of Polish people were living in Salford so we teamed up with Aleksandra Kruk from Skillkit, who translated our recruitment leaflet into Polish and over 200 Eastern European people applied for the courses. In one evening we signed up 132 people.”
The course is being run in conjunction with Salford Community Learning Trust and Salford College.
Mr McFadden added: “We are helping community cohesion and increasing the employment ability, rights, and awareness of our Eastern European students.
“As they learn and improve their English, this will assist them in finding better and more skilled work.
“We are also encouraging them to join British unions to protect them in the workplace and also introduce them to Salford Credit Union where they can learn budgeting skills and be able to obtain low interest loans.”
Monika Wnorowska, from Poland, who is doing the course, said: “I need this course because I changed my work and now work only with English people.
“I need to use the English language every day. I think I will finish the course because my English will be much better.”
Anyone interested in attending the next round of courses this month can register via the centre on 0161 789 2999.
Source: Manchester Evening News
