Migrant workers with a poor grasp of spoken English will be expected to take a new government-funded language course that will teach them how to report a fire and acquaint them with the vocabulary of the first-aid box and the consumer banking system.

The short courses are intended to overcome problems in communicating accurately about very basic but extremely precise tasks. The new qualifications are shorter and more work-focused than traditional qualifications in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and are aimed at helping migrant workers to integrate into the workforce and the community as quickly as possible.

One lesson on starting work advises students not to wear jeans if their new job is in an office and suggests that they do a practice run of their journey to work. Health and safety lessons include essential vocabulary such as “disposable rubber gloves”, “first-aid box” and “bandages”.

Bill Rammell, the Further Education Minister, said that there was a strong economic case for ensuring that migrant workers learnt functional English quickly. “The new qualifications are focused on the workplace and will quickly give learners the specific English language skills needed on a daily basis at work,” he said.

Mr Rammell added that the new ESOL for Work courses, which are accredited by City and Guilds and a number of other awarding bodies, should “encourage employers to contribute towards the cost of developing their employees’ English skills”.

The qualifications will cost students or their employers £330 in fees. The Government will subsidise the remaining £550 in costs per student.

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