Registration is now open for the Agricultural English Mentorship program created by Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development. According to a news release from Cornell Cooperative Extension, the program is designed to address the language challenges faced by many Spanish-speaking farmworkers and to provide them with the skills they need to strengthen communication and advance their careers on the farm.

The program is designed to be both educational and practical, incorporating real-world farm scenarios that directly relate to the work farm employees are doing every day. A mentor must register (at no additional cost) with the English learner and commit to 15 minutes of mentorship each week. Mentors do not need to know Spanish to participate. 

This course is offered virtually through the Moodle app and is accessible from a phone or computer. Materials will be available beginning April 14, and live discussion sessions will be held on Zoom every Friday from April 18 through May 23.

The involvement of an English-speaking mentor is a critical component of success in this program and will greatly enhance the overall learning experience.

For course details and to register online, go to: https://cvent.me/ZOl88m.

For more information about the Agricultural English Mentorship program, contact Mary Lewis by email at: ml2656@cornell.edu.

—by Jonelle Mejica