Workplace Essential Skills Training for the

Employed and Employable

Kim Hollihan, New Brunswick Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour &

Patrick Christie, New Brunswick Community College

Cannexus 2011

Presentation Outline

Program Mandate and Objectives

Overview of WES Program

HRSDC Essential Skills Model

WES Delivery Process

Demonstration of NBWES Resources

Status Update

Benefits for Learners and Employers

Questions

Why WES in NB?Why WES in NB?

14.60% 16.60%

38.60%35.30%

19.50% 14.40%

27.30%33.80%

0%

50%

100%

Canada New Brunswick

levels 4/5

level 3

level 2

level 1

Source: IALSS 2003

Population Distribution of Prose Proficiency

Population 16-65, Canada and New Brunswick, 2003

Program Mandate and ObjectivesMandate : To increase literacy through essential skills

training.

Objectives :• Improve adult literacy • Provide an accelerated path to skills improvement• Increase participation in the labour force to ease labour

market needs• Promote the development of a workplace culture that

reinforces that learning at all life stages is the key to full and equal participation in our economy and society

• Explore certification and recognition

WES Training Utilizes…• A Departmental team approach

WES Training Utilizes…• NB WES curriculum covering all 9 Essential

Skills

WES Training Utilizes…• Authentic workplace materials

WES Training Utilizes…• Competency-based approach

WES Training Utilizes…• Assessment of prior learning

WES Training Utilizes…• Formalized assessments for learners and

workplace

Infrastructure (all within PETL)

• PETL Leadership Team – decision makers

• WES Central Office Team – provincial organizers

• WES Regional Teams – 7 delivery teams

• WES Centres of Excellence – expertise/resources in essential skills (Bathurst/Saint John) – provincial in scope (French/English)

• PETL Regional Coordination Groups – 7 to ensure seamless delivery in regions

The HRSDC Essential Skills (ES) Model

“ Essential Skills help people perform the tasks required by their occupation, provide people with a foundation for learning other skills, and enhance people’s ability to innovate and adapt to workplace change.”

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/

The HRSDC ES Model, cont.

Reading Text Document Use NumeracyWriting Oral Communication Working with Others Thinking Skills Computer Use Continuous Learning

www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/worplaceskills/essential_skills/general/understanding_es.shtml

The HRSDC ES Model, cont.

Includes ES Profiles that correspond to the job descriptions in the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

• A brief description of the occupation

• A list of the most important Essential Skills

• Example tasks that illustrate how each Essential Skill is applied

• Complexity ratings that indicate the level of difficulty of the example tasks

• The physical aspects of performing the job and the attitudes that workers feel are needed to do the job well

• Future trends affecting Essential Skills

Two Main Delivery Streams

Employed delivery stream takes place in the workplace/HUB and answers employer needs

Employable stream takes place in a community setting and answers learner and sector needs by matching potential employees with employers, and/or provides learners with essential skills to prepare them for today’s workforce

WES / CET

Labour exchange

Employed Employable

Referred / self-referred Workplace / Sector / Hub

WES/CET

WES Delivery Process

1. Initial contact

2. Diagnostic of employer/sector/industry/community needs

3. Formation of a Project Team

4. Completion of the Training Needs Assessment

5. Recommendation and development of a training plan

6. Implementation of training in the workplace or community

7. Monitoring of learner progress and evaluation

of initiative outcomes

TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Demonstration of NBWES Resources

Provincial Database of WES Training/Learning Materials

Examples of NBWES Initiatives

Examples of NBWES Initiatives

PETL Contribution

Assessment of organizational and individual needs

Provision of occupational profile

Recommendation of programs

100% of Trainer’s salary

WES curriculum

Instructional materials

Participation on the Project Team

Workplace/Sector/Industry Contribution

Provide a classroom suitable for adult learning

Time allowed for an employee to be a member of the Project Team

Time for staff to participate in the assessment of organizational and individual needs

Time for staff to attend training

Participation in the program evaluation

Other contributions identified and/or negotiated by the Project Team

Participation in WES training could result in learners:• increasing their employability by enhancing their essential

skills • believing they have more capabilities and having more self-

confidence• taking greater pride in their work• accepting and acting upon suggestions for their own

improvement • developing a positive attitude toward continuous learning• showing more initiative and becoming more innovative• working and making decisions more independently• getting better at detecting and solving problems• working more effectively in teams• having an improved ability to cope with change…

Benefits for Learners

Benefits for Employers

• Both employers and employees are concerned about the ability of today’s workforce to take on new and more complicated assignments. Poor literacy and essential skills levels are barriers to making the changes and improvements needed to compete in today’s world.

Source: Business Results Through Literacy Guidebook,

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters – Ontario Division and HRSDC, 2004

Benefits for Employers, cont.

• Improving the literacy and essential skills levels of employees will :

– improve productivity, quality and safety

– improve flexibility

– improve employee relations

Source: Business Results Through Literacy Guidebook,

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters – Ontario Division and

HRSDC, 2004

The Learners’ Perspective…

“I’ve learned to communicate better and to assess situations more clearly.”

“Today, I’m more professional working with employees, and the outcome is that both parties are much more satisfied and happy.”

“I applied information from this course to work with my team and my family, for example the kids.”

“I never thought I could go back to school”

The Employer’s Perspective…

“…we believe that everybody can learn and grow through education. I also know not all lessons can be taught; some have to be lived. Workplace learning in organizations can provide these opportunities and enable anybody.” (Employer)

“At first, I could sense that the learners didn’t want to participate. These guys had jobs to do, and training was pretty low on their priority list. After a year, they have started to experience the benefits of training and now ask for more.” (Workplace Trainer)

Questions/Comments?Thank you!

Kim.Hollihan@gnb.caPatrick.Christie@gnb.ca