With new language skills, a job coach helps a community ‘feel seen’

Ten years ago, Taylor Edmunds developed a love for advocacy work and Asian cultures during  a high school mission trip to Southeast Asia. After the life-changing experience, she immersed herself in Asian studies and went on to build a career in service, working with victims of human trafficking and sexual assault. But Edmunds didn’t forget her dream of working with Asian communities, and Chinese immigrants in particular.

In 2024, Edmunds got her chance. She found a job as a career coach and vocational coordinator at the Chinese Community Center in Houston, Texas, where she connects clients to free learning resources and helps them develop job readiness skills. “Houston has a large Chinese population and I wanted to work with that demographic,” says Edmunds. “I knew it was important to learn the language.” 

Edmunds had tried to learn Mandarin Chinese before, but found the programs she used didn’t equip her to speak confidently. She was surprised and excited to discover that Verizon Skill Forward, an upskilling and reskilling program she uses with her clients, also offered Mandarin Chinese language courses. Edmunds decided to give language learning another try.

“The first class that I took, Mandarin Chinese Essentials, was on the four basic tones. If you pronounce one just a little bit differently, it can change the whole meaning [of the word],” Edmunds explains. After completing just a few Verizon Skill Forward courses, Edmunds found the confidence to begin speaking with her clients. “I can now do client intakes in Chinese,” she says. “I can also talk with my coworkers, which is really helpful.” She plans to complete all the Mandarin Chinese language courses, with the goal of eventually coaching her clients fully in their native language. 

The flexible and tuition-free Verizon program enables Edmunds to study while working full-time, as well as save money for her other big goals: a trip to China and, eventually, graduate school to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology with a focus on Chinese culture. “[Verizon Skill Forward] took the burden off, financially,” says Edmunds. “It also gives me accountability and motivation because you earn certificates. Those are nice to have as a professional, because I can show something for my work.” Edmunds also plans to revisit the courses she’s already completed to help her prepare for the long-awaited trip to China.

In addition to language classes, Edmunds has also taken Verizon Skill Forward courses on social work and mental health, and has incorporated them into her healthcare vocational training courses at the community center. “I [tell clients] that Verizon Skill Forward offers these programs that make you more competitive as a candidate for jobs,” says Edmunds. “They are a way that you can stand out.”

Edmunds is in her element working at the Chinese Community Center. “I love being here and getting to serve,” she says. “Knowing the language is so helpful, and they love it when I speak Chinese. They might be having a hard time having to make a change or start over. So the fact that I can meet them even a little bit, it’s a relief for them. They feel seen.”

Verizon has a goal of providing 50,000 individuals with training that will empower them to advance their careers and improve their economic mobility by 2030, offering technical and professional pathways to accelerate skill building for in-demand tech careers. In partnership with EdX, the Verizon Skill Forward program offers tuition-free training to help people advance their careers and improve their economic mobility. Participants can access more than 250 courses spanning 84 unique professional certificate programs to pursue high growth jobs across the in-demand areas of AI, business, coding, communication, finance, IT and more. To sign up or learn more, visit Verizon Skill Forward. An individual user's experience may vary and results are not guaranteed.