Spanish in the Workplace
Census data from 2020 demonstrates a continuing trend of Spanish speakers making Pennsylvania their home. Continuing education courses in Spanish help to make workplaces safer and more accessible and give employers a competitive edge in welcoming a burgeoning population to their products, services, and workforce.
The Spanish in the Workplace courses facilitate dialogue and foster a sense of appreciation of the Spanish language and the people who speak it. Dialects and cultural elements figure into the courses as well. Students will actively read, write, listen to, and speak in Spanish.
Rather than using the typical vocabulary sets and textbook exercises, these Spanish courses instead focus on words and conversations that are likely to occur in the workplaces of the participants. Course vocabulary varies each time the course is offered and is tailored to the needs of the students in the class. For instance, prior offerings have included terms and conversations related to customer service, medical intake forms, and essentials of manufacturing safety. With this real-world practice, students gain the competence and the confidence to use their knowledge inside and outside of the workplace.
Who should attend: Managers, supervisors, classroom educators, health-care practitioners, and other professionals would benefit from these courses, as well as anyone else who wants to learn the language, whether for travel, work, or awareness.
Spanish in the Workplace I
This course is shorter in length than a typical college-level Spanish 101 course; however, it is similar in scope. It is assumed that attendees have little or no previous practice with the language. The course teaches basic grammar points and builds pronunciation skills. Students will become proficient in basic Spanish greetings and courtesies, and they will be able to understand and answer basic questions in Spanish. Penn State York is pleased to be working with Penn Wilkes Barre in the following session beginning April 25, 2023.
- Dates: Tuesdays, September 14-November 9
- Times: 5:30-7:45 p.m. (Last class on November 9 will be 5:30-8:30 p.m.)
- Location: Virtual instructor-led training via Zoom
- Cost: $359 per person
- Registration: Spanish in the Workplace I
Spanish in the Workplace II
This course builds upon the skills learned in the Level 1 course. Attendees should already have a basic knowledge of Spanish either from the Level 1 course or from personal experience. Conversation will figure largely into the class sessions. Students will focus on more complex grammar topics (e.g., ser vs. estar; por vs. para) as well as verb tenses other than the present.
- Dates: Spring 2024 (Registration opening in the fall)