The Certificate of Competency in English as a Second Language—Level 1: Beginning (Noncredit) prepares beginning ESL students with the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills they need to transition to postsecondary education, the workforce, or any other vocational career they choose. Students who complete these noncredit courses will be granted a certificate that will enhance their employability and provide value to employers.

Students attaining this certificate will be ready to begin study toward the Certificate of Competency in English as a Second Language—Level 2: Intermediate (Noncredit), and then enter the credit ESL program and continue into an educational pathway leading to a degree or certificate in the career of their choice. There are no prerequisites or enrollment limitations.

Ventura College also offers the required courses in a short-term format; students electing this option may complete this certificate in a single semester, as illustrated in the table below:

English as a Second Language: Beginning Certificate of Competency sample plan of study (short-term option)

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• Engage in and initiate conversations with native speakers.
• Read, understand, and discuss beginning-level texts.
• Write sentences and basic paragraphs relating to real-world contexts.