SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Sugar Bowl Bakery, a family owned and operated bakery, today announces the graduating class of its first English enhancement course. In collaboration with the Hayward Adult School and Alameda Workforce program, Sugar Bowl Bakery hosted two-hour morning and evening classes twice a week to help employees improve their English language skills.
The 21 graduates were taught a curriculum based on the language used every day on the job at Sugar Bowl Bakery. The goal of the program was to not only decrease the communication gap among employees on the job, but also to enhance the students' English speaking skills in everyday life.
"I am so happy to have taken this class, and it feels good to graduate," said Thai Nguyen, employee at Sugar Bowl Bakery. "I am more confident at work. It means a lot that Sugar Bowl Bakery cares about me and my future."
The class is not just a strategic business move, but one that is close to the Sugar Bowl Bakery founders' hearts. The bakery was founded in 1984 by the Ly family, who fled Vietnam seeking opportunity and a better life in the United States. When the five Ly brothers arrived in America, they knew no English, worked blue collar jobs and even lived under one roof in order to save money to start their own business.
"We are honored to have these graduates working with us at Sugar Bowl Bakery. Like many immigrants, we struggled when we first arrived in America," said Andrew Ly, CEO and co-founder of Sugar Bowl Bakery. "If someone had taken the time to teach us at least a few basics of the English language, things may have been easier in the beginning. We've put our heart and soul into making this family run company a success, and that goes for our employees, too — we see them as part of our family."
The company plans to continue offering classes like this in the future to new and newly interested employees. Sugar Bowl Bakery is also looking to offer more advanced classes to continue the growth of this first graduating class and other employees.
A small graduation ceremony was held at one of Sugar Bowl Bakery's facilities in the Bay area to honor the graduates. For more information on Sugar Bowl Bakery, visit www.sugarbowlbakery.com
About Sugar Bowl Bakery
In 1984, five immigrant brothers pooled their savings together to open the first Sugar Bowl Bakery, a small neighborhood coffee shop in San Francisco. Sugar Bowl Bakery has since become a leader in developing quality baked goods and is now one of the largest bakeries that is family/minority owned and operated in Northern California. The award-winning bakery's lines of high-quality baked goods are sold at various supermarket chains and warehouse clubs.
Source: Sugar Bowl Bakery
