Salim Medjdouba immigrated to the United States from Algeria in 2022. With a degree in commercial and management sciences from the University of Boumerdes, he set out to establish his life in a new country. Thanks to family connections, he settled in the Elgin region. With experience as a machine operator, he found employment at a local manufacturer working as a materials handler, moving on to roles in production assembly as he worked to find his fit in the workplace.

Fluent in three languages, Salim knew he needed to master a fourth, English, for his career to flourish truly. In September 2023, he enrolled in Elgin Community College’s (ECC) English as a Second Language (ESL) Program, hoping to become proficient enough to enroll in the college’s technical courses. While in the ECC ESL program, Salim heard about ECC’s free Pre-Apprenticeship in Manufacturing. He and a family friend signed up to take the course together. Salim began the program eager to learn how to translate his technical knowledge into English, finding a common language on the machine floor. Salim passed all pre-apprenticeship classes, earning his OSHA-10 card and Forklift Driver certification. He then successfully interviewed for a materials handler job with a well-known local manufacturing company. As he began his new job, Salim was grateful for the chance to upskill and get into a company with upward mobility and opportunities. His new employer, Elgin Sweeper, is also on ECC’s target list to develop registered apprenticeships; hiring one of our pre-apprentices opened the door for those discussions in 2024.