Home Builders Institute, National Association of Home Builders and Lowe's
Unveil Sed de Saber(TM)-Construction Edition at the International Builders'
Show
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new self-paced
learning program is now available to help the home building industry's 2.5
million Hispanic workers learn English. Sed de Saber(TM)-Construction
Edition, sponsored by Lowe's, was custom-created by the Home Builders
Institute (HBI), the workforce development arm of the National Association
of Home Builders (NAHB), to address job site communication challenges
presented by the language barrier.
Sed de Saber(TM)-Construction Edition uses a seven-book, fully
interactive curriculum to teach Spanish-speaking workers a functional level
of English language conversation and comprehension. It runs on LeapFrog
Quantum Pad(TM) technology, enabling users to record, play back, and
compare their pronunciation to that of the words and phrases they are
learning. The complete curriculum teaches sentence structure, 500
vocabulary words and 340 phrases, covering basic life skills such as
following driving directions, as well as detailed job-site scenarios,
tools, equipment and scheduling. To address safety-related issues because
of the language barrier, the program's seventh book focuses entirely on
safety practices, mirroring the NAHB/OSHA Job Site Safety Handbook
protocols.
"Sed de Saber(TM)-Construction Edition is an opportunity for builders
to take a leadership role as it relates to a critical workforce issue for
our industry," said Mike Sivage, immediate past chairman for HBI and a
leading force behind the effort. "Empowering workers to learn English can
impact safety, communication and quality, as well as boost loyalty,
recruitment and morale."
The program allows workers to practice on their own time, at their own
pace and in the comfort and privacy of their own home. Each learning system
comes with a pre-, mid- and post-program skills assessment, so builders can
evaluate their employees' progress. Workers who follow the study guidelines
of 30 minutes each day will complete the program in four months.
"What's so unique about this program is that it helps us give back to
builders in a way that can positively affect the way they do business,"
said Mike Horn, vice president of commercial sales at Lowe's. "Yes, it's
about overcoming language barriers -- but for Lowe's, it's also about
enhancing our commitment to our customers and becoming the valued partner
we know they deserve."
In December 2006, HBI and Retention Education initiated a five-week
pilot program of book one of Sed de Saber(TM)-Construction Edition in
Washington, Seattle, Indianapolis and Las Vegas. Eighty-two participants
completed book one with an average English language proficiency score
improvement of 40 percent.
"Using the program on job sites resulted in an increase in productivity
and efficiency," said Oliver Prock of Rehabitat Northwest, a Seattle-based
home builder. "Our employees were able to work better as a team due to the
decreased language barrier."
Developed by a team of superintendents, trade skills experts, builders
and remodelers, Sed de Saber(TM)-Construction Edition meets government
learning standards set forth by the Department of Education and the
Department of Labor. Sed de Saber(TM)-Construction Edition will be
available for sale and delivery March 1, 2007. The system includes one
Quantum LeapPad(TM) Plus Microphone, seven books with cartridges, headset,
power adapter, carrying case and pre-, mid- and post-skills assessments.
The system retails for $395 for NAHB members and $495 for non-members.
Lowe's customers can order the kit with a $40 discount through the
LowesForPros.com Web site. Additional skills assessment packages can be
purchased for $75 each.
About Home Builders Institute: Home Builders Institute (HBI) is the
workforce development arm of the National Association of Home Builders
(NAHB). HBI is a non-profit organization offering craft education, training
and placement programs for the residential construction industry. For more
than 30 years, HBI programs have trained people in the trades, promoted the
industry as a career and helped the residential construction industry and
NAHB membership address its workforce needs.
About National Association of Home Builders: The National Association
of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more
than 235,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily
construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance,
building product manufacturing, and other aspects of residential and light
commercial construction. Known as "the voice of the housing industry," NAHB
is affiliated with more than 800 state and local home builders associations
around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct 80 percent of the
more than 1.56 million new housing units projected for 2007, making housing
one of the largest engines of economic growth in the country.
About Lowe's: With fiscal year 2005 sales of $43.2 billion, Lowe's
Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE(R) 50 company that serves approximately 12
million customers a week at more than 1,350 home improvement stores in 49
states. Based in Mooresville, N.C., the 60-year old company is the second-
largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit
Lowes.com.
About Retention Education: Retention Education, LLC is a workforce
development company committed to the development and distribution of
educational products that help Hispanic adults improve their work skills
and their daily lives. Retention Education, LLC first released Sed de
Saber(TM) for the hospitality industry in 2005. Since then, over 30,000
units have been sold.
SOURCE National Association of Home Builders
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.nahb.org
http://www.lowes.com/
CONTACT:
Jennifer Wilson of Lowe's Companies, Inc.,
+1-704-758-2282, or jennifer.e.wilson@lowes.com; or Ashley Mills
of Home Builders Institute, +1-202-266-8926, or c,
+1-202-413-4225, or amills@hbi.org
|
