Language-Learning Leader Rosetta Stone Partners with Community Colleges to Boost Employment Potential in Tough Job Markets

ARLINGTON, Va. --(Business Wire)--

For 67 laid-off meat processing plant workers in Idaho, prospects for new employment in the community were scarce-until a partnership between Rosetta Stone (NYSE:RST) and the College of Western Idaho helped many of those workers beat the odds.

In Dodge City, Kansas, where shifting demographics have made bilingualism a critical need among business owners in the agriculture supply industry, local workers increased their once-faint job prospects by taking advantage of an innovative Dodge City Community College ESL program that leverages Rosetta Stone educational solutions.

Rosetta Stone, a world leader in language-learning technology for schools, businesses and individuals, is tapping into the rapidly expanding student population at community colleges across the U.S. to create game-changing language-learning programs that are making an impact on local economies. Model public-private partnerships like those at The College of Western Idaho (CWI) and Dodge City Community College (DCCC) are helping students overcome language barriers to bolster their employment potential and get jobs once difficult to find.

Rosetta Stone worked with both CWI and DCCC to create programs utilizing Rosetta Stone's innovative TOTALe^® PRO software in conjunction with classroom instruction. The College of Western Idaho and Rosetta Stone established a six-week tranitional training program with a curriculum that included an average of one to three hours of study each day with Rosetta Stone TOTALe PRO. More than 95% of the students completed the course, many of whom continued on to utilize their new language skills to enroll in GED and nursing-assistant programs.

"We're very proud of the work we've done with Rosetta Stone," said Scott Fenwick, Director of Business Partnerships at CWI. "By breaking down the language barriers to employment with Rosetta Stone and building the key skills needed to find employment, nearly 35 percent of the students are working today."

In Dodge City, local business owners are driving the demand for ESL courses for their employees. In conjunction with Rosetta Stone, DCCC created a two-credit hour ESL course inclusive of dedicated study utilizing Rosetta Stone TOTALe PRO. "Adding Rosetta Stone to our ESL programs has been a tremendous success," said Greta Clark, DCCC's Director of Multicultural Education. "Both students and teachers have appreciated the added depth and significant learning enhancements Rosetta Stone provides."

"Community colleges across America are experiencing tremendous growth," said Judy Verses, President, Global Institutions at Rosetta Stone. "According to a recent U.S. News article, more than eight million students are now attending America's 1,200 community colleges, up from 5.5 million in the past decade. These colleges are offering their students remarkable opportunities to develop those skills important to achieving their career potential, including ESL programs. The work we've done with CWI and DCCC are prime examples. It is incredibly gratifying to be part of these wonderful success stories and to see the way Rosetta Stone is changing America's employment landscape."

With the Hispanic share of the U.S. workforce growing rapidly¹, ESL workforce training programs are becoming increasingly important. Taken alongside programs such as the one at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona-where Rosetta Stone provides online training in 24 different languages-the CWI and DCCC partnerships offer ample evidence that Rosetta Stone is helping community colleges across the country address the critical language-learning needs that exist in their communities.

As part of a cooperative effort to spotlight the results of these remarkable partnerships and share best practices with employers and community colleges across the U.S., Rosetta Stone is making available case studies of the CWI and DCCC programs. Interested educators, business owners and media can download the reports at http://www.rosettastone.com/ccrelease.

About Rosetta Stone Inc.

Rosetta Stone Inc. is changing the way the world learns languages. Rosetta Stone provides interactive solutions that are acclaimed for the power to unlock the natural language-learning ability in everyone. Available in more than 30 languages, Rosetta Stone language-learning solutions are used by schools, organizations and millions of individuals in over 150 countries throughout the world. The company was founded in 1992 on the core beliefs that learning a language should be natural and instinctive and that interactive technology can replicate and activate the immersion method powerfully for learners of any age. The company is based in Arlington, VA. For more information, visit RosettaStone.com and RosettaStone.com/pro.

"Rosetta Stone" and "TOTALe" are trademarks of Rosetta Stone Ltd., registered and/or used in the U.S. and other countries.

¹ http://www.hispanic.com/hispanic-workforce-statistics