Literacy learning helps earnings

How can a rap song save your job? Ask a GENCO Distribution employee.

Some of them had been with the company in Sparks for five or 10 years, but suddenly couldn't understand their jobs.

That's because a little hand-held computer they were required to use spit out such confusing, technical jargon that even these long-time employees were stumped and about to lose their jobs.

That is, until the Truckee Meadows Community College workplace literacy program stepped in.

The TMCC instructor in a custom-designed program for GENCO created a rap song, and put that unintelligible jargon to music.

It worked.

"We saved a couple dozen jobs with that," said Paul Marsala, director of Adult Basic Education and ESL programs at TMCC.

"That made us proud."

Employers request any sort of instruction from TMCC - from communication to math, and anything in between - for any industry.

They will provide tailored instruction in the workplace, at no cost to the employee.

One business taking advantage of TMCC's offerings is Springs Window Fashions.

Springs' manufacturing and distribution associates are primarily Hispanic or Filipino, and very few of them received their high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) credentials.

They wanted to be promoted, but were limited because of their lack of education.

As Springs' Industrial Engineer Bob Salvador explained, Springs is developing a new team-oriented environment.

As teams, employees will work together to solve problems.

Associates will need to become more self-sufficient and selfdirected, to communicate more effectively, and to improve their math skills.

That's where the GED training from TMCC will come in.

Classes will meet on Springs' premises, for an hour before or after shifts for several weeks.

Classes are conveniently located at work, to avoid needing additional child care or transportation.

Employees will be grouped by educational level, the first group requiring about 60 total hours of study.

Those further behind may require more class time.

Those who have completed the program will step in as tutors to support and encourage those who need it.

"Turnover was so high," Salvador said.

"We want to change that, and make them happier here.

If they're happy, we're happy 'cause they'll make better blinds, and our customers will be happy, too."

Herb Rackliff, senior food and beverage director for the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, has seen overwhelmingly positive improvements in the morale of his employees.

This largely Spanish-speaking staff is learning English in an eight-week course.

Instructors stress vocabulary pertinent to those food and beverage jobs, words such as "fork" or "glass," for example.

"It's a win-win for everyone," Rackliff said.

"They're thrilled, and they like to show off what they've learned."

And now their futures have become more secure.

"The purpose is to promote from within, and this allows them to move into areas where there's more guest contact, and they can provide better service to our guests.

When they see others moving into higher positions, it inspires them to try, so interest will definitely grow."

Some other local businesses that have used TMCC's program are Saint Mary's, Peppermill Hotel Casino, and the Reno police.

In the three years he has been with TMCC, Marsala has seen the program grow from 151 students to just over 1,600.

He believes the growth is due to a growing Hispanic population, and an increasing use of technology to replace people, which makes the need to stay ahead in the workplace even more pressing.

But awareness of the TMCC program is growing as well, and he'd like this trend to continue.

"Lots of employers still don't know this is available, because they don't see it in a catalogue," Marsala explained.

But if a rap song can save a warehouse job, anything's possible.