Help for a 17 year old with limited english

I've got a question for the group. I'm a retired Tool & Die maker/Machinist/gearhead. My Brother is married to a Thai national who had two kids. The oldest boy (17) is without a doubt the best natural mechanical talent I have ever seen. This kid should be going to MIT. The problem is that he doesn't have language skills. He's having problems graduating from a Detroit area high school. My brother is planning on retirering to Thailand next year. This kid will be wasted without the benefit of some kind of formal training. Anybody know of any kind of mentor program or training program for this guy? Any other advise? Just as an example, he is the best welder I have ever seen after three months of high school shop. I've worked with certified welders that aren't better than he is.

Get your nephew enrolled in a general education program at a local community college. Most community colleges have "English as a Second Language" (ESL) programs (and GED programs). He'll be able to improve his English language skills while he takes some engineering prerequisite courses (math, physics, etc.). After a couple of years, he can transfer to a four year college and complete his engineering degree.

A community college is a great place to start for a high school student that doesn't have the grades or the SAT scores to get accepted into a regular four-year engineering program. This is because it is relatively easy to transfer from a community college to a four-year college (if you have a good GPA).

Also, it is considerably cheaper for a student to take their prerequisite courses at a community college. Tuition at a four-year institution usually costs twice as much (per semester hour) than at a community college.

Good Luck to your nephew