Sadia Faisal, Early Learning Professional

Sadia is an advanced-level English Language Learner who’s been studying with our ESL of Southwest Michigan program since she arrived in the U.S. in 2019. She’s originally from Pakistan, speaks Urdu, and holds a master’s degree. She was evaluated using the CASAS test, which assesses basic and academic skills in real-world contexts. The system monitors progress in reading, math, English language, writing, and work-readiness skills. CASAS is the most widely used adult education competency-based testing system in the U.S. After 40 hours of instruction, she made improvements on her reading and listening scores, to the highest scores a learner can reach on the CASAS test, which indicates strong measurable skills gains.


Sadia began working at the YWCA Kalamazoo as an Early Learning Professional, having come through the Edison Early Childhood Education Career Pathway. To support her, KLC Navigators assisted her with workforce literacy skills like resume writing, interviewing, and researching the YWCA as the potential employer. Accepting the position was a huge win for Sadia, because by doing so, she nurtured her spirit of ambition and independence as well as her self confidence. In her new role, while getting her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, she utilizes her expertise in raising children, as she has three of her own. Her lovely family can be seen on our Zoom calls and at our holiday celebrations. 


Sadia is an excellent example of resilience in adult learning!