How a $25,000 workforce grant helped a Hood River food manufacturer bring English-language training into the workplace, supporting employees on the job and beyond.

At Tofurky’s manufacturing facility in Hood River, Oregon, employees work together to produce plant-based foods. With a large Spanish-speaking workforce on its production floors, effective communication is essential to daily operations.

But language differences can create challenges, from understanding safety procedures and manufacturing standards to communicating with coworkers.

When Tofurky learned about a $25,000 workforce grant opportunity through East Cascades Works, the company saw a chance to address those challenges by developing a workplace-based language learning program.

Learning That Fits Into the Workday

Rather than asking employees to attend classes outside of work, Tofurky brought English-language instruction directly into the workplace during working hours.

The program also took a practical approach to learning. Instead of relying on generic lessons, the curriculum incorporated materials employees encountered in their daily work, including workplace signage, policies, and manufacturing procedures.

For employees balancing work and family responsibilities, this approach made language education more accessible while helping them build skills they could use immediately.

One participating employee, a mother of two, described how the opportunity to learn English at work was helping her grow professionally while also making a difference at home.

With stronger English skills, she felt better equipped to help her children with their homework and communicate with people in her community. Living in a small county where English is widely spoken, she valued the opportunity to connect more easily with people beyond the workplace.

Her experience illustrates how the benefits of workforce training can extend far beyond a single job.

For Tofurky, the program offered a way to strengthen workplace communication, support employees’ professional development, and build a more inclusive environment.

And for participating workers, the opportunity to learn during paid working hours helped remove a significant barrier to education.

Through this investment, Tofurky and its workforce partners demonstrated how employer-focused training can support business needs while creating meaningful opportunities for employees and their families.

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