AHEAD Singled Out for Investing Back Into Its Workforce with ESOL Classes

Eight Employees, Each Active in Company’s ESOL Program, Attend Recognition Breakfast in Boston

(NEW BEDFORD, Mass.) – One of the country’s top headwear, apparel and accessories brands for the green grass, resort, collegiate, and corporate markets – AHEAD – has been recognized by English for New Bostonians/English Works Campaign for its continued support of workplace English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes for its employees.

Both spring and fall ESOL sessions have concluded at AHEAD and, to date, the training has touched 17 of the company’s associates. Award organizers said the honor “reinforces AHEAD’s commitment to investing back in its workforce.”

“At AHEAD, we value the contributions of all our employees and are always looking for meaningful ways to invest back into our workforce,” said Anne Broholm, CEO of AHEAD. “One way in which we have done that is through the ESOL learning opportunities provided to our associates. There is a mutual benefit that AHEAD and the employees receive via improved communication and understanding that the ESOL classes provide. It has been very rewarding to see the positive impacts.”

English for New Bostonians is a coalition of immigrant community leaders, labor unions, business and civic leaders, educators, and advocates across Massachusetts working toward a Commonwealth that provides all residents with a pathway to economic self-sufficiency, and works to ensure a stable, skilled workforce for the state. In addition to AHEAD, six other business and labor/management partnerships were honored for 2015.

Eight AHEAD employees, each active in the company’s ESOL program, attended a recognition breakfast including: Ana Gonzalez, Nicolasa Hernandes, Morena Pineda, Lily Ventura, Alicia Carmona, Tomasa Cipriano, Antonia Cruz, and Rosa Rivas.

According to Ronald Marlow, Undersecretary for Labor and Workforce Development for Massachusetts, “When a company combines job training with ESOL services it is making an investment in employees that is a proven path to increased productivity and worker retention. Employees who improve their English skills at their jobs are more likely to stay with a company and be inspired to rise up through the ranks, boosting both their pay and the company's bottom line.”

For additional information on AHEAD, visit its website at www.Aheadweb.com.