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Case Study: Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development – Essential Skills Strategy1.0 IntroductionLaunched in 2000, the Apprenticeship Essential Skills Initiative is a co-operative approach responding to existing and emerging labour market needs.1 The Initiative enables apprentices to access Essential Skills programs through workplace and apprenticeship training to help them improve their Essential Math and Communication Skills and Science skills. The strategy was developed in response to a comprehensive research study of the apprenticeship system in Nova Scotia completed by the Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development division. It concluded that a high number of apprentices were repeating technical training. The initial idea was to build and adapt the Nova Scotia Workplace Essential Skills program for apprenticeship training. The Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development division of Nova Scotia’s Department of Education partnered with Nova Scotia Community College, Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), and Nova Scotia Partners for Workplace Education to initiate an Essential Skills Strategy. Initial funding in the range of $100,000 was provided by HRSDC, while Nova Scotia Community College provided the use of its Learning Manager Platform and staff expertise as its in-kind contribution to the strategy. Members of an advisory group, the Nova Scotia Partners for Workplace Education, also provided in-kind contribution in the form of their time and input throughout the initiative. The goals of the strategy are to enable apprentices and trade qualifiers to reach their full potential by identifying and providing support for Essential Skills enhancements; reduce the number of times apprentices repeat training courses; integrate trade-related Essential Skills content into existing processes and systems; and improve overall capacity of the partners to address anticipated shortages of skilled labour through enhanced lifelong learning.2 These goals are met by achieving the following objectives:
The division has essentially followed four strategic directions in developing and implementing the Essential Skills Strategy. These are:
Trade specific assessment tools have been developed in 10 trade areas: Building Trades, Cooking Trades, Electrical Trades, Heating/Cooling Trades, Heavy Equipment Mechanical Trades, Mechanical Trades, Metal Fabrication Trades, Motor Vehicle Trades, Painter/Decorator Trades, and Pipe Trades. The tools have been piloted and are now being delivered as part of the informal assessment process. Staff involved with the implementation of the strategy has also participated in a series of professional development sessions, including train-the-trainer workshops, assessment coaching, and apprenticeship Essential Skills to enable their use of the tools.
2.0 Description of the StrategyType There are two components to the strategy that address the reading, document use, numeracy, math and writing Essential Skills. The first is the assessment learning plan development, and the second is training support. The Assessment Learning Plan Development Process The assessment learning plan development process is individualized and trade-specific. The process is initiated upon registration and consists of an informal interview or consultation with the candidate. Other assessment tools are accessed as required. The Skill Development Coordinators and/or Apprenticeship Training Officers (division field staff) conduct the assessment with the candidate. A guide was developed to facilitate this activity. The assessment process is designed to identify the strengths that a candidate possesses. The next step in the assessment process is to document or assess the candidates’ Essential Skills with respect to Document Use, Reading, Math, and Writing. During a consultation, candidates are asked about their learning and educational experiences, work, home and union life. Documents pertaining to the candidate’s work are shown to the candidate and questions are informally asked about the documents. This allows the assessor to determine the Essential Skills levels of the candidate. A series of tools are used as part of the discussion rather than to “test” the candidate. Results of the assessment are provided immediately to the candidate who then works with the Skill Development Coordinator and/or Training Officer to create their own learning plan. The learning plan is specific to the learner, clearly identifies achievable objectives, is logically sequenced, and is relevant to technical training. Training Support Once assessed for Essential Skills training candidates are referred to one of four training options or streams. They are:
Course curriculum delivered in any of the four streams is typically developed by instructors with support and assistance from the division and colleges. The division is currently developing some of the programs. As part of information gathering, the division developed and maintains an Apprenticeship Certification Information System. This system tracks whether or not candidates have had an Essential Skills assessment, the type of Learning Plan developed for them, and tracks their completion of the Learning Plan. Group-specific partnerships The division will also work with a group such as a union or community group, and customize the courses and program to meet the needs of the candidates. Previous Essential Skills programs have been delivered in collaboration with union groups such as the Iron Workers and Painters/Decorators. More recently, the division collaborated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 625 to pilot the Document Use Refresher course. The IBEW Local 625 is one of the first unions in Nova Scotia to incorporate Essential Skills into the Interprovincial Upgrade course. With funding from the division, the IBEW 625 has incorporated eight of the nine Essential Skills into customized courses for its members; the exception being Computer Use. Instructors for the Document Use Refresher course were provided by the division, while the union provided classroom space for the training. Two instructors taught the course. One instructor taught the Essential Skills portion while the other instructor taught the Interprovincial (IP) Preparation portion of the course. The aim was to have both instructors in the classroom at the same time to illustrate how both components of the course are interlinked. The development of the curriculum of the IP Preparation portion was funded by the IBEW 625 and focuses on teaching fundamentals of the trade, managing stress, and how to write exams. The IBEW 625 reviewed the eight module Document Use Refresher course and selected the modules most applicable and relevant to their members. The course was further customized by instructors who incorporated input received from an initial focus group session with participants to identify and understand their strengths and the skill areas where they required upgrading. Another collaborative initiative is the partnership established between the division and the Membertou First Nations community in 2002. A Joint Registration Agreement was created between the two partners because of the mobility of trades within the construction sector and specifically, the carpenter trade. This was the first time such an agreement was established between the division and a First Nations community. Part of the agreement included the implementation of an Essential Skills initiative that included assessment and training components. Two groups of apprentices were identified: trade qualifiers and apprentices. Essential Skills training was provided to both groups. Target Audience The Nova Scotia Essential Skills strategy is aimed at supporting 20% of students who enter an apprenticeship but do not have strong Essential Skills either because they never completed high school, or they completed high school years ago and now require refresher courses. The process, however, is available to everyone. Recently, the division has worked with Aboriginal communities in Nova Scotia to customize the programs for each community’s needs. Resources Required: People Workplace Education Skill Development Coordinators and the Apprenticeship Training Officers are responsible for conducting an informal assessment process. The assessment process was a new responsibility added to the role of the Apprenticeship Training Officers. Typically, Skills Development Coordinators and Training Officers have either completed apprenticeship college and/or university. Ongoing professional development is provided to the staff by the division to support them in this role. The division has not yet encountered challenges in recruiting Skills Development Coordinators or Training Officers, because these employees are already employed with the division. The various organizations that collaborated with the division contributed human resources, expertise, and space for training as part of their partnership agreement. Funding/Costs The costs of the training programs (four streams/ options) are primarily borne by the division. That is, the provincial government funds the instructor, curriculum, tools and in some cases, the classroom space. The candidate is responsible for their own transportation to and from the course. Employers may also support the training by providing their employess with time off to take the training, paying for the materials necessary for the course, and/or paying for a space for their employee to attend the course. To date, funding from the federal government has amounted to about $100,000 for each project the division implemented. Estimated costs to run a Math or Document Use Refresher course range up to $5,000. Unions also provide support by funding the material/books required, space, and administrative functions such as contacting candidates about the courses. This latter activity includes promotional activities led by unions to raise awareness of the existence of the courses. For example, the IBEW Local 625 distributes brochures and pamphlets to its members about Essential Skills training provided by the division. Time The amount of time required to develop, pilot, implement, and maintain the Essential Skills strategy requires a major commitment from all parties involved. Initially, the federal government funded a full-time coordinator to assist the division in the development and implementation of the strategy. However, funding only lasted for six months. Since then, individual members of the division have assumed and shared the responsibilities. Piloting the informal assessment process, educational tools and programs has taken about two years. Time is also required to raise the awareness across the province about Essential Skills. Currently, departmental staff involved with the strategy gives presentations about Essential Skills at various events across Nova Scotia. Staff also consult and discuss Essential Skills with employers and unions in various sectors. Workshops about Essential Skills, apprenticeship, and the services offered by the division are provided for stakeholders. Material/Other Resources Generic documents and sample workplace documents were used during curriculum development. When appropriate, Essential Skills information has been and will continue to be integrated into the promotional materials of the Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development division and its partners.5 Workshops and presentations have been given to division staff, partners and appropriate audiences on the initiative. Some of the documents available from the division include:
3.0 Benefits of Essential Skills StrategyThe Essential Skills strategy has been beneficial in raising the awareness of Essential Skills across Nova Scotia and with stakeholders. This has raised the profile and importance of Essential Skills and has also raised awareness that learning is continuous. The latter is a benefit to individuals’ personal lives and also creates an “open-mindedness” about the opportunities available. Although not assessed by the government, it is assumed that the strategy is helping to improve the completion rates in apprenticeship. In an interview with a representative from the IBEW Local 625, 90% of the candidates who participated in the pilot Document Use Refresher course successfully went on to pass their exam. However, no formal evaluation was completed to conclude that the high success rate was due to the Essential Skills course. By adapting existing programs, a community or stakeholder group develops expertise in Essential Skills and the capacity to teach others about new methods of curriculum development and program delivery. This has led to the establishment of better working relations between unions, government, and industry. As a result of the strategy, the department has been able to reach out and support training needs in Aboriginal communities and African Nova Scotian communities. The Document Use Refresher course offered as part of the strategy helps apprentices to learn how to review and assess documents in different ways, as well as how to respond to exam questions. The latter is of a significant benefit because many apprentices panic during exam time, and hence repeatedly fail.
4.0 Success FactorsHuman contact between the assessor and the candidate, as well as the assessor’s interest in the candidate are identified as key success factors. The informal assessment process was devised to identify and work on the learner’s strengths, not weaknesses. This raises the learner’s confidence level. Involving a candidate in the assessment process and subsequently in the development of a customized training/learning plan greatly contributes to the successful outcome of that candidate’s training. Buy-in from candidates who take the training is necessary. When a candidate is reluctant to learn Essential Skills they often encounter challenges during the course and may even fail the course or program. This was an issue the IBEW Local 625 faced at the beginning of the strategy when it attempted to provide Essential Skills training to its members. Through continuous communication about the benefits of Essential Skills, this skepticism is slowly dissipating. Partnering and collaborating with employers, unions and educators also contributes to the successful implementation of the Essential Skills strategy. Involving stakeholders in the development of the program ensures that the partners are aware of and accept what is required, and the support necessary to advance the program. Indirectly, it raises the awareness of the importance of Essential Skills among the business community. A key lesson learned by the division as it developed the strategy was the need for an ongoing and flexible initiative that was responsive to the Essential Skills needs of the communities.
5.0 ChallengesAt the outset of the strategy, one key challenge the division faced pertained to the assessment process and how to assess a candidate’s Essential Skills. The division referred to the Workplace Education Program for the solution to this question and also consulted with a number of potential candidates. After a number of pilots, an informal assessment process was deemed to be the best approach. As one member from the division commented, the consultation allows you to “start from a strength rather than a deficit”.6 Another key challenge that the division addressed early in the strategy’s development was how to report the results of the informal assessment process back to the candidate. The candidate’s strengths and the type of support they require is discussed with the candidate during the informal interview. At this time, the candidate and the Training Officer or Skill Development Coordinator determines a training plan that would best meet the candidate’s needs. Another challenge in implementing the strategy involved raising Apprenticeship Training Officers’ comfort levels with conducting Essential Skills assessments of candidates. Initially, Skill Development Coordinators were used to and comfortable with conducting skills assessments, whereas Apprenticeship training Officers were not. The solution to this problem was to pair a Training Officer with a Skill Development Coordinator; the latter supported and assisted the former in the assessment process. This arrangement proved to be quite successful; now there is very little difference in the comfort levels of Training Officers and Skill Development Coordinators when conducting Essential Skills assessments. Locating trainers in rural areas continues to be a challenge for the division. It is much more cost-effective to provide training to a group of students than it is to provide training to an individual. Finding suitable documents and examples of workplace documents was a challenge in the development of the curriculum for the various courses. In addition, finding time to update the curriculum continues to be challenging. Curriculum updates are typically undertaken every 2 – 3 years. Providing time for candidates to complete the courses is an issue given that a number of candidates work during the day. In some cases, employers support the training by giving employees time off to attend training. Linked to this issue is accessibility of courses for candidates located in non-urban regions of the province. Customizing courses for a few learners is costly and often the reason for a lack of course availability in a region. To address these challenges, the division has designed the Math and Document Use Refresher courses to enable candidates to use and complete them on their own time. An ongoing challenge regarding the business community is raising awareness and stressing the importance of Essential Skills. Awareness of this issue has improved among employers, but there is still much work to be completed. Employers’ acceptance of their role in supporting their employees’ acquisition of Essential Skills is another challenge. An employer’s endorsement of Essential Skills may assist in changing the attitudes of employees and apprentices about the need to acquire Essential Skills as part of their lifelong development. Many employers will support their employees in Essential Skills training if that employee is promising for the organization. In light of a current limited supply of tradespeople, employers who recognize the need to retain good employees may become more open to investing in Essential Skills training. Awareness and acceptance of Essential Skills differs among employers of small- medium- and large businesses. Employers of small and medium-sized businesses are less aware and accepting of their role in supporting Essential Skills than employers of larger businesses. This may be because of the lack of financial, material or human resources that is characteristic of small and medium-sized businesses. Another challenge relates to the need to get information about Essential Skills training to non-organized groups such as small and medium-sized employers and Internationally Trained Workers. This is also linked to the issue of raising awareness of Essential Skills among these groups and educating them about the support available for Essential Skills training from the division. Raising awareness about Essential Skills is also a challenge within the educational community. “Essential Skills should not stand alone, but rather, should be incorporated into the early years of the educational system”7 and also across the entire educational system. Educators must be informed that Essential Skills training is about teaching skills, not content, and that there are different methods of delivering training of equal value. Finally, raising awareness among employees and apprentices is challenging, particularly with mature or experienced employees who do not immediately see the value in Essential Skills. This is also the case with some apprentices of today’s generation who do not see the applicability of Essential Skills in the particular trade in which they are employed. “We’re tradespeople…we’re told what to do”8 is a perception held by some employees and apprentices who are reluctant to take Essential Skills training.
6.0 Future DirectionsThe Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Training and Skills Development Essential Skills Strategy has not yet been evaluated. Therefore, into the future the division plans to work on this evaluation and the continued updating and improvement of the informal assessment tools. Finally, building awareness about Essential Skills is an ongoing activity that will contribute to the division’s overall strategy. Part of this activity involves the need to partner with more small businesses and educate them about the need for and importance of Essential Skills. 7.0 Program/Project ContactMarjorie Davison, Director
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