“Achievement is the word I choose to define our experience with Heartland's ESL program at our company.”
- What we were responsible for
- Heartland placed an experienced ESL instructor on-site at Anchor's Evansville plant. Weekly classes used a curriculum built from Anchor's own workflows: technical English for machinery, quality-control terms, safety communication, and collaborative problem-solving. The work supports a manufacturer with more than 300 employees.
- Outcome
- Employees use technical terms with confidence in discussions, meetings, and handoffs. Clearer communication reduced misunderstandings and supported workplace safety. ESL training is now part of onboarding for team members with limited English, and the plant has a working model for the next group of non-native speakers.
The challenge
Anchor Industries, founded in 1892, grew into a local manufacturing leader with over 300 employees and 350,000+ sq ft of production space. Many team members spoke English as a second language, creating friction when communicating technical specifications, safety procedures, and process improvements.
Our approach
- Placed an experienced ESL instructor on-site at Anchor's Evansville facility
- Weekly classes integrating grammar, vocabulary, conversational coaching, and role-play tied to Anchor's manufacturing workflows
- Custom curriculum: technical English for machinery, quality control terminology, safety communication, and collaborative problem-solving
Outcomes
- Employees confidently use technical terms in discussions, meetings, and handoffs
- Clear communication reduced misunderstandings and bolstered workplace safety
- ESL training is now integrated into Anchor's onboarding for limited-English team members
- A turnkey blueprint for onboarding and training future non-native speakers