Cambria Recognizes English Language Program Graduates, Launches New GED Program

Nationally recognized quartz manufacturer Cambria proudly announced the graduation of 13 employees from its English language program. Created for Cambria employees whose first language is not English, the program has had 74 graduates since its inception in 2015. This milestone coincides with a planned expansion of Cambria’s educational initiatives, as the company is in the process of coordinating a new GED program.

The annual English language program graduation ceremony took place at Cambria’s state-of-the-art slab manufacturing facility in Le Sueur on Tuesday, July 29, followed by cake and refreshments for the graduates, their guests, and Cambria leadership. Cambria speakers included Brian Scoggin, Chief Manufacturing Operations Officer, and Bridget Prehn, ESL Program Leader; as well as current and graduated program representatives, sharing about the impact of the program, career advancement, and enriched community participation after graduation.

Building on a decade of success, with over 500 employees having participated and 56 currently enrolled in the English language program, Cambria is now planning to implement a GED program at its Minnesota facility. After being approached by the local Director of Adult Basic Education (ABE) to partner on the initiative, Cambria is actively working to finalize the details. While a formal start date has not been set, the program is slated to launch at the manufacturing facility in Le Sueur, with the intention of scaling it to other Cambria locations in the future. This new offering further underscores Cambria’s commitment to providing comprehensive growth opportunities for its workforce.

For the English language program, employees learn by attending classes twice a week during their regular workday. They receive their regular pay during attendance. Overall, the program provides 30 hours per week of free classes at Cambria’s slab manufacturing facility and company-owned FabShop in Minnesota. In addition, it offers an additional 7 hours per week of distance learning, alongside advanced English classes for professionals at its Sitec facility where the Cambria mines are located in North America. This comprehensive reach includes employees from Cambria’s Sales & Design Centers and FabShops, as well.

Tangible Benefits and Growth

The English language program consistently enhances communication, builds confidence, strengthens workplace safety, and fosters collaboration across teams, directly leading to career advancement. Over 20 graduates have already been promoted to operator, lead, coordinator, and supervisor positions.