No English, no luck? Why MGM Springfield is looking for strong English skills and what’s being done to prep candidates
MGM Springfield made a big splash this week when it posted 1,000 available jobs in its website. It was a huge step forward for a $960 million project whose main selling point to skeptical voters, who ultimately approved casino gambling here, was jobs. For many of those jobs — even unskilled ones like bus person and kitchen runner — “English language proficiency” is the first relevant skill listed. The job description defines English language proficiency this way: “The ability to speak and understand English when giving and receiving instructions, and talking with management, coworkers, and guests. This includes using correct grammar when speaking and not using slang terms.”