NILES — An upcoming course offered by Lake Michigan College will teach business essentials to students and community members alike that are non-native English speakers.

By the end of the course, Daniela Ortiz, English as a Second Language program administrator, said students will leave with a certificate of completion and the skills necessary to apply for a full-time job, work toward a promotion or complete a number of English-intensive tasks in the business sector.

English for Business Purposes will be a six-week course for those 18 and older running from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays March 10 to April 16 at the college’s Benton Harbor campus, 2755 E. Napier Ave. The cost is $280.

If enough interest is generated, a course could also be offered at LMC’s Bertrand Crossing campus, 1905 Foundation Drive, Niles.

Registration for the course ends Jan. 31 at lakemichigancollege.edu/esl-ce. Like all other LMC courses, citizenship status is not considered when registering.

The program is part of a larger group of ESL courses that launched in the spring of 2018. Ortiz oversees beginner, intermediate and advanced courses, grammar courses and courses meant to prepare attendees for professional English tests.

As the program develops, Ortiz plans to cater courses to needs she sees arise in the community.

That was how English for Business Purposes, a class for intermediate to advanced English speakers, arose. LMC connects with non-native English speakers working in southwest Michigan’s agriculture sector because staff members know the dominant nature of English in the U.S., a nation without an official language.

“The ability to speak English can impact the socioeconomic status of a person,” Ortiz said. “If you look at the research out there, those that don’t speak such good English don’t get promoted as fast as those that do. Some even have a hard time finding full-time employment.”

English for Business Purposes, complemented by other ESL courses, is meant to give non-native English speakers a boost of skills and confidence.

The course will cover topics ranging from business vocabulary, negotiations, regulations, fine print, writing professional emails, writing reports and making presentations. Workforce and business culture will also be discussed.

There is flexibility in what is taught, too. As Ortiz finds out what business ventures students are interested in, she can hone in on topics to fit their needs.

If students take a strong interest in the business sector, she hopes they will move on from the course and enroll in LMC’s business program.

English for Business Purposes fits the remarks of a recent speaker on campus, demographer Eric Guthrie, said Candice Elders, executive director of marketing and communications.

She said Guthrie noted southwest Michigan has a stagnant, aging population, and it needs to be more hospitable to people coming into it. Not only will a class such as English for Business Purposes create the talent needed for the area’s success, it will help that hospitality grow, she said.

The challenge for the business course is getting the word out about it. Ortiz said some non-native English speakers only work in Michigan during the growing season, so the course will be offered in the summer, too.

Some people are afraid to take such a class, let alone enroll in a college for further education, Ortiz said. She said a fear of not being good enough due to their English skills is often the culprit.

“Sometimes, when you don’t know the language very well, it feels like a big world out there,” she said. “You don’t know where to go, who to ask, and we see that.”

But someone’s ability to speak English is not reflective of intelligence.

“Just because a person doesn’t speak very fluent English doesn’t mean that they don’t have the right skills for their business,” she said.

If business leaders and supporters were opened-minded, friendly and patient with non-native English speakers, businesses and people alike would flourish, she said.