WEG Transformers Presented MCCA Industry Award for ECC Partnership

A local industry with an international footprint was recognized by the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) for its work with East Central College

WEG Transformers USA, based in Washington, was presented a Distinguished Business and Industry Award on Nov. 9 during the MCCA annual conference. WEG was nominated for the award by ECC because of the industry’s work with the College’s Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) program.

A Distinguished Business and Industry Award was presented by the MCCA to WEG Transformers, an international company based in Washington, Mo. WEG was nominated for the award by ECC because of the industry’s work with the College’s Adult Education & Literacy program.

WEG is an international company that operates at three locations in Washington designing and producing electrical transformers and substations. In 2021, the company hired 30 immigrants from St. Louis to work at their facilities and wanted them to enhance their English language skills to better understand the culture and their workforce.

That’s where the relationship between WEG and ECC’s AEL began.

The employees, immigrants from across the world, that includes India, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Afghanistan, were placed with WEG through the International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL) — an immigrant and job placement service/information hub which connects refugees and immigrants to a variety of opportunities in the St. Louis region.

Beginning February 2022, the AEL program worked with the new WEG employees to further develop their English language skills that included specific lingo and language used in the Manufacturing industry.

The English Language Acquisition classes were taught by ECC at the WEG facilities before or after the employees’ regular work schedule. As a result, 12 of 30 employees successfully completed the. Several of them were honored by the College during the Student Achievement ceremony held April 2023.

The unique public/private partnership has resulted in more qualified employees for WEG Transformers and maintains their competitive edge and enhances the lives of a group of workers as they adapt and adjust to their new homeland.