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The Link Between Essential Skills and Success in Apprenticeship Training

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Appendix A

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Summary of 47 Essential Skills and Apprenticeship Initiatives Identified Across Canada

Program/ Initiative Name Year Start Year Finish Lead/Driving Organization (s) Predominant Stakeholder Participation Geo Coverage Essential Skills Focus Industry Sector Trade Names Red Seal Number of participants/ intake Equity Group Involvement Predominant Project Objectives Summary Description
Essential Skills Needs Assessment of IBEW Members 2002 2003 IBEW Labour
Education
Business		 7 provinces (NB, NS, QC, ON, MB, BC, AB) consulted 151 Industry stakeholders Not specific – reading, document use, numeracy Construction Electricians All N/A None Study/Research with Recommendations. Report and recommendations for ES skills development in Electrical trade (Construction and Utility)
CARS Essential Skills Project 2004 Ongoing Canadian Automotive Repair and Service Business
Education		 National Reading text, document use, numeracy Automotive repair Automotive mechanical installers and servicers, service technicians, paint technicians, auto body and collision damage repair technicians yes N/A Not specific Increase foundational skills in motive repair and service workplaces in Canada. Recognizing the key importance of Essential Skills in the workplace, CARS Essential Skills project aims to increase foundational skill levels in motive repair and service workplaces in Canada. The work is divided into three phases; developing Essential Skills profiles, assessing the current level of Essential Skills in the industry and assessing the curriculum for relevancy in the context of Essential Skills.
Essential Skills Program Unknown Ongoing Operating Engineers - Local 904 Labour Newfoundland Reading text, document use, numeracy, oral communication, problem solving Construction Heavy Equipment Operators, Crane Operators   Unknown Not specific Skills upgrading. Provision of math upgrading skills package to apprentices having problems. Can be used as self-study tool or in conjunction with a tutor.
Literacy and Prior Learning Assessment: Strengthening the Foundation of Apprenticeship on PEI 2002 2006 PEI Apprenticeship Board; Workplace Education PEI Government Prince Edward Island Not specific Not specific Not specific   n/a Not specific Increase the success rate of people writing Red Seal Exams. Development and implementation of an overall apprenticeship and Essential Skills strategy for PEI.
Workplace Literacy Program 2002-03 Ongoing Workplace Education PEI Government Prince Edward Island Reading test, document use, numeracy All sectors Plumbers, Cooks (also administrative staff) yes Unknown Not specific Acquisition and application of new literacy skills. Establishment of program framework under which specific intiatives were undertaken.
Workplace Education for Cooks – “The Baker’s Dozen” 2002 2003 PEI Provincial Apprenticeship Board Government
Sector Council
Employer		 Prince Edward Island All except computer use and continuous learning Health Care Cooking yes 25 (two sessions held) Not specific Essential Skills upgrading. Essential Skills upgrading in preparation for examinations.
Plumbers Red Seal Preparation Program 2004 2004 PEI Provincial Apprenticeship Board Government
Sector Council
Employer
Unions		 Prince Edward Island All Construction Plumbers yes 30 (three sessions held) Not specific Essential Skills upgrading. Essential Skills upgrading in preparation for examinations.
Red Seal Preparation for Electricians 2004 2004 PEI Provincial Apprenticeship Board Government
Sector Council
Employer
Unions		 Prince Edward Island All except computer use and continuous learning Construction Electricians yes 45 (three sessions held) Not specific Essential Skills upgrading. Essential Skills upgrading in preparation for examinations.
Workplace Learning 2002 Ongoing Cavendish Farms Business
Government		 Prince Edward Island and other company locations Not specific Manufacturing Industrial Mechanics, Electricians, Instrument Tech, Stationary Eng.   180+ Not specific Maintain competitiveness in the market through well-trained and skilled work force. Workplace literacy program, with delivery tailored to individual learning styles.
Apprenticeship Essential Skills Program 2003-04 Ongoing Nova Scotia Department of Education, Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development Business
Government		 Nova Scotia Not specific Not specific 10 trades covered yes 25 – 30 Not specific Assessment and remedial action for apprentices with Essential Skills problems. Early identification of Essential Skills issues and provision of remedial help to maximize potential for success in apprenticeship.
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Program/ Initiative Name Year Start Year Finish Lead/Driving Organization (s) Predominant Stakeholder Participation Geo Coverage Essential Skills Focus Industry Sector Trade Names Red Seal Number of participants/ intake Equity Group Involvement Predominant Project Objectives Summary Description
Document Use Refresher Course 2005 2006+ Nova Scotia Department of Education Government
Labour		 Nova Scotia, but will roll out nationally Document use All sectors 10 trades covered   Unknown Not specific Upgrading of document-use skills. Development of document use curriculum tool for 10 major trades.
Document Use Pilot Project 2005 2006 IBEW Local 625 Labour
Government
Business		 Nova Scotia Document use Construction and Industrial Electricians yes 15 to 20 Not specific Upgrade skills for workers seeking IP certification. Pilot testing the Document Use Refresher curriculum tools.
Youth Apprenticeship – Automotive Repair 2004 2004 Automotive HR Sector Council of Nova Scotia Business
Government 		Nova Scotia Reading, writing, document use, math Automotive repair Automotive service yes 11 Not specific Preparation of youth at risk for apprenticeship in automotive repair sector. Identification and preparation of potential automotive trade workers, including the upgrading of Essential Skills in preparation for apprenticeship.
One Journey Work and Learn 2004? Ongoing Nova Scotia Government and Atlantic Floor Covering Installers Government
Business		 Nova Scotia Unknown Construction Floor Covering Installers No 19 Not specific Provide ES upgrading so could be employed. Joint program involving Dept of Education, Dept of Community Services and employers to address a specific labour market need through focused training in the floor covering trade.
Math Refresher Course 2005? Ongoing NS Government NSCC Government
Education		 Nova Scotia Numeracy All sectors Many yes 2 pilot classes run, with another 2 planned for Jan 06. Not sure on numbers Not specific General upgrade course for math skills. Development of an instructional tool that can be used by apprenticeship trainers to assist learners with math skills upgrading using trade-related materials.
Math Skills for Carpenters 2003-04 Ongoing Nova Scotia Government NSCC Government
Education
Community		 Nova Scotia Numeracy Construction Carpenters yes 10 x 3 years Aboriginal Peoples Math skills upgrading for aboriginal carpenter apprentices. Upgrade carpenter apprentices in aboriginal community to prepare them for a major housing construction project.
Literacy Skills for First Nations 2005 Ongoing Commission de la Construction du Quebec, Quebec Ministry of Education Governments Quebec Reading text, writing Construction Construction trades   Unknown Aboriginal Peoples To upgrade the literacy skills of First Nations participants so that they can enter the construction industry. Aboriginal peoples often cannot work in the construction industry in Quebec because they frequently have literacy skills at the primary level and haven’t reached literacy skills required. The initiative targets three First Nations, offering reading and writing courses as pre-trades upgrading.
Diagnostic Tool for Essential Skills 2004 2005 Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario Labour Ontario Not specific Construction Heavy Equipment Operators, Crane Operators   not implemented yet Not specific Tool to identify ES problems/issues. Development of assessment tool for Essential Skills.
Construction Math for Carpenters     Carpenters District Council Ontario Labour Ontario Numeracy Not specific Carpenter yes 50-100 per year Not specific Math skills upgrading. Ensure workers have math skills that they do not seem to be getting from education system. Includes apprentices, but not specific focus.
ES Training in Core Programs   Ongoing Ontario Industrial & Finishing skills Centre Labour
Business
Government		 Ontario Numeracy, literacy Construction Painter Decorators, Glazier Metal Mechanics   Unknown Not specific Math skills upgrading for immigrants ES training is built into core programs (about 140 or 720 hours is devoted to drawings/calculations).
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Program/ Initiative Name Year Start Year Finish Lead/Driving Organization (s) Predominant Stakeholder Participation Geo Coverage Essential Skills Focus Industry Sector Trade Names Red Seal Number of participants/ intake Equity Group Involvement Predominant Project Objectives Summary Description
Pre Apprenticeship Program for Glazier Metal Mechanic 2006   Ontario Industrial & Finishing skills Centre Labour
Business
Government		 Ottawa All basic skills to get Grade 12 Construction Glazier Metal Mechanics   Not started yet   Workforce development. Academic upgrading using trade related materials that will provide participants with credits toward Gr. 12 completion and will prepare them for work in the trade.
Occupational Terminology Workshops 2004 Ongoing Windsor Essex County YMCA Not for Profit
Provincial Government		 Windsor ON Not specific Not specific Not specific   70 Not specific Preparation of immigrants for Canadian certifications Familiarization with English terminology in trades to prepare for certification, apprenticeship, etc.
Preparation for Access to Trades and Technology 2002 2005 London Urban Services Organization (LUSO)
Fanshawe College		 Community
Education		 London ON area Not specifically related to Essential Skills Not specific Mechanical trades yes 3 sessions with 20 participants each Not specfic Assistant to immigrants with trades skillls Assist new Canadians who had training and certification in their home countries to prepare for work in Canada.
Literacy Assessment in Apprenticeship Selection   Ongoing Ontario Masonry Training Centre Business Ontario Literacy, numeracy Construction Masonry yes 20-25 per mth Not specific Early identification and remediation of Essential Skills problems. Utilize an assessment tool to screen for literacy, numeracy problems, then direct those with problems to remedial help.
Tools for Overcoming ES Problems 2003-04 Ongoing Fanshawe College Education
Government		 Ontario Reading document use Not specific Not specific yes 4589 contact hours Not specific Provide technology-based tools to help apprentices with problems. Application of technology tools developed for other users to assist apprentices overcome barriers caused by Essential Skills deficits.
Pre-Apprenticeship Training 2004? Annual Fanshawe College Education
Government		 Ontario All Not specific Not specific   Unknown Not specific Essential Skills assessments and upgrading. Pre-apprenticeship evaluation of Essential Skills levels using TOWES, and provision of upgrading.
Essential Skills Resource Centres 2003-04 Ongoing Fanshawe College Education
Government		 Ontario All Not specific Not specific yes Unknown Not specific Provision of Essential Skills resources. Establishment of physical resource centre locations where users can learn more about Essential Skills, obtain assessments, career information and resources for upgrading.
Workplace Essential Skills 1997 Ongoing Dofasco Inc. Business Ontario Reading, writing, math, computer use Manufacturing Not specific yes Hundreds Not specific Upgrading employee skills for competitive advantage. Provide employees with the Essential Skills needed to excel in their jobs and create competitive advantage for Dofasco.
Essential Skills/Pre-Apprenticeship Programs
In:- Native Residential Construction Worker- Women
in the trades: Construction Worker- Construction and Maintenance Electrician- Heavy Duty Equipment Technician 		    Northern College Education
First Nation
Communities
Employers		 Northern Ontario         Unknown Aboriginal Peoples   Information passed to the consultants from CAF-FCA. No response to inquiries
CAHRD Wood Links Program 2003 2006 Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development (MB) Government
Education
Labour
Business		 Manitoba Not specific – reading, document use, numeracy Construction Carpenter   Unknown Aboriginal Peoples To prepare and upgrade trainees for the carpenter or cabinet making apprenticeship program. Addresses fact that many women are single mothers; provides ES-focused programs to assist and motivate as they work toward apprenticeship certification.
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Program/ Initiative Name Year Start Year Finish Lead/Driving Organization (s) Predominant Stakeholder Participation Geo Coverage Essential Skills Focus Industry Sector Trade Names Red Seal Number of participants/ intake Equity Group Involvement Predominant Project Objectives Summary Description
Government of Manitoba - Essential Skills Upgrading 2005 Ongoing Government of Manitoba, Apprenticeship Branch Government
Education
Labour
Business		 Manitoba All Not specific Not specific yes Unknown Aboriginal Peoples To help apprentices and trades qualifies find ways to improve their ES. Encompasses four key areas: awareness-raising, development of assessment products and services, expansion of upgrading opportunities, and development of best practices and policies around trades-related ES.
OCN Building Construction Essential Skills Upgrading Project 2005 2006 Opaskwayak Cree Nation Government
Education
Labour
Business		 Manitoba Reading text, writing, numeracy, oral communication Construction/ Building Trades Carpenter yes 18 Aboriginal Peoples Focuses on ES to improve chance of completing Level 1 of Apprenticeship program. Pilot project focusing on the second model (of 3) of the Government of Manitoba’s initiative (1/2 day classroom, 1/2 day practicum) for community-based apprentices who need general upgrading before starting technical training.
Assiniboine Adult Collegiate 2004? Ongoing Manitoba Government (Apprenticeship Branch) Government
Education
Labour		 Manitoba Numeracy Not specific Not specific yes Unknown Aboriginal Peoples Upgrading for pre-apprenticeship programs. Focus is on carpentry trades, and math/numeracy skills in particular. Assists adults who have graduated from High School but do not have the numeracy skills to be successful in Level 1 Carpenter program. Had worked with Employment Training Services in The Pas (OCN) to develop curriculum for ES upgrading and assessment.
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology 2004 Ongoing SIAST, Government of SK (Apprenticeship Branch) Government
Education
Labour
Business		 Saskatchewan All/Numeracy Not specific Not specific yes Unknown Women, Aboriginal Peoples To provide course materials at a distance. Aim was to extend program reach to increase number of students able to complete the technical training for apprenticeship programs. (Noted an increase in the number of women successfully completing this part of the program.)
Saskatchewan Construction Careers Project 2003 Ongoing Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology Education
Government
Industry		 Saskatchewan All Construction Carpenter/ Building trades yes Unknown Aboriginal Peoples To provide links to employment and access to training and trade certification for First Nations/ Aboriginals in Saskatchewan; provide access to training and development; provide counseling for program completion. SIIT worked with the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission to establish the SIIT Joint Training Committee (JTC) in 1999. The JTC is used to indenture First Nation/ Aboriginal people in the construction trades in Saskatchewan and assists the apprentices to achieve full journeyperson status in their trade.
Alberta Aboriginal Apprenticeship Project (AAAP) 2001 2007 Government of Alberta Government
Education
Labour
Business		 Alberta:
* Calgary
* Edmonton
* Fort McMurray
* High Level
* Lethbridge		 Not specific - reading, document use, numeracy All Not specific yes Unknown Aboriginal Peoples To promote apprenticeship and industry training to Aboriginal people, communities, and organizations in Alberta. The project is designed to help Aboriginal people enter and complete apprenticeship programs. Its goal was to register a minimum of 255 Aboriginal apprentices by 2006-07; that goal has already been surpassed.
Effective Reading in Context (ERIC) Unknown Ongoing Keyano College, NAIT, Suncor, Syncrude Education
Business		 Alberta Reading, document use All Not specific   Most courses = 20-25 per intake (2 or 3 intakes/ year) Not specific To improve reading and literacy. Keyano College and NAIT assist in developing programs to target training for various apprentice groups. A pre-apprenticeship program is aimed at Aboriginal students, while “English for skilled workers” (not apprenticeship- specific) aims to help immigrants seeking employment in the oilsands industry or to seek additional training at Keyano.
MotiveAction 1985 Ongoing MotiveAction Training Foundation; ASHRE, HRSDC Government
Business		 Alberta Basic literacy (TBD) Automotive Repair Automotive trades yes 100 per year Not specific Prepare youth facing barriers for work and apprenticeship in automotive sector. MotiveAction is a not for profit organization funded by the Province of Alberta to do ‘integrated training’ for disadvantaged youth seeking employment in the automotive sector. Typically, they see youth with a wide range of barriers, including gender, unemployment, immigrant/racial minority status. The integrated training program includes three components – life skills, upgrading academic skills and basic trade-related training. TOWES is used on intake to assess new entrants and while everyone gets the basic skills training, individuals with particular problems are dealt with one on one. The program is six months long, and generally about 45% of participants go on to apprenticeship in the trade, while others remain as basic workers.
NAIT in Motion 2004 Ongoing NAIT /ASHRE Government
Education
Business
Communities		 Alberta Upgrading to prepare for apprenticeship Petroleum Industry Welding, Electrical, Pipe Trades, Millwrights, Plumbing, Machinists yes 96 since startup Aboriginal Peoples Prepare aboriginal participants for apprenticeship level jobs in the oil industry. NAIT works with industry to identify specific trades/ skills and workforce needs in a designated area, then develops programs that meet those needs. NAIT then works with aboriginal communities in the areas of interest to identify potential participants in the training program. Through initial assessments using TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education), instructors get an idea of what grade levels their students will have. Participants are then provided with both personal development skills and academic upgrading to prepare them to challenge the Alberta Apprenticeship Entrance Exam (anyone without Grade 12 must pass this before being accepted into apprenticeship). Participants must pass this in order to continue. Once these preliminary tests have been completed and passed, the NAIT in Motion mobile shop arrives to deliver technical training in the trade(s) designated.
Journeywoman Start Program Unknown Ongoing Women Building Futures Government
Education
Industry		 Alberta All Building Trades Residential, commercial and industrial construction yes >200 to date Women To prepare women for entry-level apprenticeship positions in Alberta’s construction and mechanical trades. To introduce women to the trades, and to provide support and upgrading to help them be successful as they go through the Apprenticeship programs.
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Program/ Initiative Name Year Start Year Finish Lead/Driving Organization (s) Predominant Stakeholder Participation Geo Coverage Essential Skills Focus Industry Sector Trade Names Red Seal Number of participants/ intake Equity Group Involvement Predominant Project Objectives Summary Description
Next Step Community Training and Development 2004 Ongoing Community Futures, Taber and District Community Adult Learning, Lethbridge Community College Education
Business		 Southwestern Alberta All Construction Building trades yes 13 Not specfic To help apprentices prepare for apprenticeship exam. Program developed to help people in this community who had trade skill, but were lacking literacy and numeracy skills.
Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES) 1998 Ongoing Bow Valley College Education
Industry		 Alberta; National Reading text, document use, numeracy, All All yes 6,000-8,000 tests graded each year Not specific To develop a test of workplace Essential Skills similar to the International Adult Literacy Study. A test that allows workers’ skills to be assessed in such a way that the results can be compared to the requirements of the job as described in the HRSDC Essential Skills Profile.
Pre-Apprenticeship Essential Skills Assessment Unknown Ongoing Kwantlen College Education British Columbia Literacy, numeracy Not specific Not specific yes Unknown Not specific Early identification and remediation of Essential Skills problems. Prepare apprenticeship students for success in technical training by addressing Essential Skills problems as early as possible.
SkillPlan BC 1991 Ongoing Construction Industry Skills Improvement Council Labour
Business		 Initially BC and the Yukon Numeracy, reading, writing Construction All building trades yes Unknown None To support apprentices in their Essential Skills upgrading. Partners with a network of administrators and instructors to develop strategies to improve the Essential Skills of people working in the unionized construction industry. Develops resources to assist workers in training.
Transferable Trades Skills Profile 2000 Ongoing UFCW Local 427 Labour
Industry
Government		 British Columbia All All All yes <500 All Web-based tool that profiles the current skills of a tradesperson and matches them up with the skills in another trade. Client database links to job descriptions, skills profiles and formal standards required for other trades or jobs that are in demand. The database reveals gaps between the client’s existing skills and employer’s needs.
Diavik Diamond Mines 2002 Ongoing Diavik Diamond Mines, NAIT Business
Labour
Education		 NWT Not specific-reading, document use, numeracy Mining Heavy Duty Mechanics, Millwrights, Welders, Electricians   Unknown Aboriginal Peoples To increase success in Apprenticeship programs. To help increase completion rates for Aboriginal peoples; to give apprentices a chance to give input into policy decisions; to increase number of journeymen and entice them to stay in NWT.
BHP Billiton Mines – Ekati Workplace Learning Program 2001 Ongoing Billiton Mines, NAIT, Keyano College Business
Labour
Education		 NWT Not specific-reading, document use, numeracy Mining Heavy Duty Mechanics, Millwrights, Welders, Electricians yes Unknown Aboriginal Peoples To train an Aboriginal and Northern Workforce. Workplace Learning Program; focuses on pre-trades subjects to decrease the number of apprentices who are “at risk”.
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