Staff at Collins Aerospace will be dedicating an hour of their day today (Thursday 23 September) to mark International Day of Sign Languages.

The British Sign Language (BSL) team at Adult Education Wolverhampton have teamed up with the Stafford Road business and will be meeting employees online for a Deaf Awareness information session, which seeks to help staff break the communication barrier with members of the Deaf community.  

A couple of employees have also expressed an interest in going further and taking a BSL course with Adult Education Wolverhampton.

Sarah Harford from Adult Education Wolverhampton’s BSL team said: “We are really inspired by this initiative from Collins Aerospace and excited to be leading a virtual learning session to help raise awareness with staff.

“This, together with the recent instalment of hearing loops at its Wolverhampton site, shows that Collins Aerospace is committed to supporting deaf employees and visitors.”

Among the BSL courses offered by Adult Education Wolverhampton is An Introduction to BSL, in which students learn basic sign language, deaf awareness, and communication skills to help them start communicating with members of the Deaf community at work, at home and in social settings.

Councillor Dr Michael Hardacre, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "The council is committed to doing all it can to support everyone who lives, works or visits Wolverhampton. 

“Our Adult Education Service offers BSL courses to the public and has supported a number of council employees to learn the language, and I am pleased that they are also able to work with other major city employers such as Collins Aerospace to help them break down any communication barriers which may exist.”

Adult Education Wolverhampton offers a wide range of courses which help people train for a specific career, while its Access to Higher Education courses provide a fast track to university. Other courses can help people brush up on their skills or build their personal confidence. For more details, please visit Adult Education Wolverhampton or call 01902 558180.