At APD, our employees are the heart of everything we do. The different skills and experiences our employees bring make APD stronger, and we work hard to support their growth.
This year, we introduced the Healthcare Language Pilot Program, an 8-week course funded by donations to the President’s Fund. Taught by ESL instructor Trish Guitar, the class was designed for non-clinical staff in Environmental Services and Nutrition Services to strengthen workplace communication, build healthcare vocabulary, and feel more confident on the job. The goal is to improve communication between workers and managers, strengthen the services that support patients, and create a more inclusive workplace.
We are excited to share that eight employees have graduated from the program. Participants spoke Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Pashto. Together, they practiced English for safety, signs, and daily conversations. The class was full of energy, with lots of laughter, encouragement, and even daily Hokie Pokie exercises that quickly became a favorite.
At graduation, participants received their certificates and celebrated the progress they made together in just eight weeks. Special thanks go to Kandi Downs, Supervisor of Environmental Services, and Faye Grearson, Employee Resource Navigator, whose support helped make this program possible. With this success, APD looks forward to offering language learning opportunities to even more employees in the future.