Continuing Education & Workforce Development

Essex County College, Adult Learning Center is the lead agency of the Essex County Consortium which comprises the following agencies- Essex County College Adult Learning Center (ALC), Jewish Vocational Services, Fresh Start Academy, Essex County Vocational-Technical School, FOCUS Hispanic Center, La Casa de Don Pedro, New Community Corporation, Literacy Volunteers of America, and 1199 SEIU Education Fund-New Jersey Division. The Adult Learning Center has been providing adults the opportunity to improve their literacy skills or English language proficiency since 2001.  ALC primarily serves clients in the urban areas of Essex County and in the City of Newark, providing English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), civics, and computer literacy as well as instruction to individuals with low literacy skills and High School Equivalency (HSE) preparation. ALC serves a diverse population of refugees, immigrants, dislocated workers, unemployed individuals, and Welfare to Work clients. The mission is to assist these adults in becoming self-sufficient members of society and the requisite skills and knowledge base necessary for employment. For educationally and economically disadvantaged families, adult education programs prove to be an effective and efficient approach that clearly benefits the parents and their ability to support the literacy development of their children. ALC serves Essex County residents, 16 years of age and older.  

Partnership Provides Laptops for ECC Adult Learning Center

Literacy  

Students have the opportunity to improve their computer, financial, and health literacy as well as their ELA/literacy skills in order to be s college and career ready, as part of our ESL, Integrated Education training (IET) or the High School Equivalency programs.  

ESL  

The instruction for English language learners is geared toward acquiring skills needed to compete in the workplace, meet life goals, communicate effectively, improve proficiency with the necessary basics, and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  Language is taught in context, so learning is relevant and meaningful to students.    

Citizenship / IET  

The Integrated English Literacy and Civic program provides the English language learner the opportunity to grasp the academic, social, and cultural aspects of the English language through the teaching of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.  The goals of the ESL program are to help students develop the language skills necessary to successfully enter and advanced in the workplace while gaining the knowledge required to become American citizens.  All learning is geared to the acquisition of skills necessary to compete in the workplace, meet life goals, improve proficiency in the necessary basics, help with family and school issues, and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Integrated IELCE training assists adult learners to acquire English language skills while preparing for a career in Information Technology. Learners will work on improving their reading, writing, math, and English proficiency skills in a contextualized manner while they build occupational skills to acquire a Microsoft Office Certification. ESL instruction is offered in the context of information technology.  

High School Equivalency  

Our program provides the necessary coursework for Essex County residents who are 16 years of age and older to obtain their high school equivalency diploma, transition to postsecondary education and training, and participate more fully in their children’s education. Additionally, the program helps them improve their civic engagement in the community and enhance economic prospects for their families.  Students prepare to sit for either the HiSET or GED assessments, both of which are approved assessments by the New Jersey Department of Education to acquire a High School Diploma. 

For more information contact Judith Celestin (973) 877-4435 / [email protected]