2004 SCORE Small Business Award Winner
Language Links, located in Falmouth MA, opened in November of 2000 and has shown steady growth over the past 3 1/2 years. Developer and owner Maria Demeo, has over 10 years of teaching experience in the United States, Spain, and Puerto Rico. She holds Masters Degrees in both Teaching English as a Second Language and Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language. Her goal is to aid employers and employees in maintaining the high level of service the Cape’s Tourist industry demands by providing Work Place Literacy Programs for limited and non-English speaking employees of local businesses.
Maria came to SCORE for help in putting together a business plan not only for the Work Place Literacy program but also for teaching Spanish to children ages 3-12 in small groups at Language Links and at private schools. Over the past two and a half years, the plan has been developed and implemented. Maria along with 6 other employees has grown the business in both the Commercial ESL Market as well as the Spanish market for children and adults. Language Links now offers: Work Place Literacy Programs, Spanish Immersion programs for children, teens, and adults, Children’s Immersion Summer Camps, Private Tutoring, and Translation Services.
Language Links is now registered with the Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training as a Work Place Literacy Trainer for the Cape and Islands. Businesses both small and large can now offset training costs through a relatively easy grant process provided by the Department of Employment and Training. The future looks bright for Language Links and Maria will continue to add employees as needed to keep pace with the growing demand.
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