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Case Study: Government of Manitoba Apprenticeship Branch – Essential Skills Strategy1.0 IntroductionA culture of developing workplace training initiatives has grown in Manitoba over the last 20 years. An increasing number of different service providers, including the Government of Manitoba, have been offering English as an Additional Language (ESL), literacy, numeracy, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), and workplace education programs to adults wishing to expand their work-related skills. In recent years, the Apprenticeship Branch has started to adopt research and implement more of these types of workplace initiatives to address Essential Skills development for apprentices and trade qualifiers. Economic forces, such as the demand for skilled trades people, have been a key impetus for this change, as there is a need to move people through the training system and into the workforce more effectively and efficiently. Recognizing that success in technical training or in a trade means an adequate level of both technical and Essential Skills, and building upon the work initiated by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada in 1994, the Apprenticeship Branch of the Government of Manitoba developed an Essential Skills Strategy to guide its efforts to improve the readiness of apprentices and trades qualifiers for technical training. This strategy fits into Manitoba’s overall Essential Skills Framework which aims to create a shared vision for Essential Skills services with stakeholders both inside and external to government. The goal of the Essential Skills Strategy is to help the Apprenticeship Branch develop models, prototypes, and partnerships that result in tools, services and processes necessary to address the Essential Skills needs of its clients. Through this, the Apprenticeship Branch aims to:
Specifically, there are five strategic directions to the Branch’s strategy:
Each of these directions is supported by various pilot projects and activities (see below). The strategy is being implemented in increments beginning with selected trades and will expand to other trades once the new processes and tools are “tried and true”. The main focus has been on construction trades because of the number of workers employed in the sector, and also because of the urgent need for Essential Skills training for apprentices in these trades. In addition, construction trades are currently in high demand in the northern communities of Manitoba. Other sectors will be addressed as resources become available. It will take several years to fully implement the strategy, because it is as much about integrating Essential Skills into the learning culture in the Branch and in the existing adult learning system, as it is about creating new products and programs.
2.0 Description of StrategyType Over the last two years, the Apprenticeship Branch has:
In addition, some of the less tangible outputs resulting from the various activities include the learning and professional development of all stakeholders, networking and partnership development with a variety of groups across the province, and community capacity building. Raising Awareness Promotional material currently being developed will include information on Essential Skills and will be distributed by the Apprenticeship Branch. An Essential Skills brochure for apprentices is being developed and will be available for distribution to apprentices and trades qualifiers. The Branch Web site also includes information on Essential Skills. Finally, workshops, presentations and information sessions are being held with trades trainers, adult educators, unions, Adult Learning Centres (ALCs), Aboriginal communities, and college service providers across Manitoba, and related government departments. Assessment Process Efforts are currently underway to determine how Essential Skills assessments can best be integrated into existing apprenticeship intake processes in the Branch. First, Branch staff identifies registered apprentices who would benefit from an Essential Skills assessment. The assessment, which can be delivered one-on-one or in small groups, is then carried out by an Assessment Administrator, who uses a Branch-developed assessment package to determine the upgrading needs of the apprentices. This assessment package addresses both awareness-raising and assessment, and consists of:
After the assessment, a Referral Counselor scores the results and, based on the self-assessment and exercises completed, provides feedback to the individual apprentice. As part of the feedback, the Referral Counselor may recommend upgrade training and outline some of the candidate’s options. In most cases, apprentices are responsible for arranging their own upgrade training. Community-based programs may opt to use a group feedback approach to provide upgrade training for an entire cohort of candidates. Support for this type of customized training varies and depends upon local adult education resources. In some cases, the Apprenticeship Branch supports a customized training program if it is part of a Branch pilot test. Post Assessment – Essential Skills Training Programs Post assessment, there are a variety of ways that Essential Skills training can be delivered. However, to showcase specific alternatives, the Apprenticeship Branch has focused on the development of three delivery models that might be used to address three common learner groups:
Trades-Related Essential Skills Upgrading Manitoba has over 30 Adult Learning Centres (ALCs), which are publicly-funded centres for adults who wish to obtain their high school diploma. These centres are located across Manitoba in mainly urban areas and may offer other adult education programs besides academic upgrading. As a result, ALCs serve as potential partners in delivering trades-related Essential Skills upgrading to apprentices or trades qualifiers. To explore the partnership with ALCs, the Apprenticeship Branch is piloting a newly-created Essential Skills training course in three ALCs starting January 2007. This course will focus on the upgrading needs of apprentices in the construction sector, and will combine Math and Document Use skills development. If the pilot is successful, additional sites and courses may be added. To prepare for the delivery of the pilot, instructors are first involved in a train-the-trainer and materials development project. Trades-Related Essential Skills Practicum A classroom-based delivery format may not suit apprentices who demonstrate lower levels of Essential Skills. To address the needs of this group of learners, the Apprenticeship Branch developed a “practicum” delivery model that combines classroom time with “time on the tools”. Half of each day is spent doing Essential Skills development, while the other half of the day is spent on building projects of value to the community. Essential Skills development is linked as closely as possible to the hands-on activities in order to reinforce the relevance of the learning, and provide opportunities for immediate application of new skills. Since there are fewer ALCs in the northern regions of Manitoba, local capacity must be developed to deliver this type of practicum course. Curriculum development, instruction, and materials development are therefore done as a team. In one case, the Apprenticeship Branch worked with community educators to plan and deliver a customized Essential Skills training program for carpenter apprentices (see case study on Opaskwayak Cree Nation). Once it is finalized, other northern communities will also be able to deliver the curriculum. Trades-Related Essential Skills Integrated Refresher When a longer Essential Skills program cannot take place before technical training begins, another option is the “Integrated Refresher” model. This model incorporates one to two weeks of intensive, level-specific Essential Skills refresher courses before technical training begins, and also includes one afternoon (or morning) per week of Essential Skills tutoring during and throughout the level(s) of technical training. Capacity Building One of the main aims of the Apprenticeship Branch’s Essential Skills Strategy is to employ and build upon existing resources, programs, or partnerships. As a result, projects undertaken as part of the strategy attempt to build capacity both within the Branch and with external stakeholders. In light of this, the Essential Skills strategy is a system of interdependent activities and processes rather than a series of isolated projects and activities. Significant work is required to create the necessary paradigm shift in adult education providers to include trades-related services and/or address the specific Essential Skills upgrading needs of apprentices and trades qualifiers. In areas of scant human and/or educational resources (in northern Manitoba for example) a considerable amount of retraining must be done around Essential Skills and trades-related upgrading. However, the development of local capacity to address Essential Skills issues is the key to sustainability. Target Group The Essential Skills Strategy is intended to address the needs of all apprenticeship clients, although, in the short-term, apprentices in particular trades are the main focus. The strategy also has an impact on the Branch as a whole, and on Essential Skills and adult education training providers. Resources Required Essential Skills activities in the Apprenticeship Branch are funded through the Branch, as well as through special project funding. The Branch currently employs one full-time staff person dedicated specifically to the Essential Skills initiatives. This is complemented with one part-time student assistant. Various Branch staff is involved in committee and group work, and in carrying out assessments. In addition to Branch staff resources, around $50,000 in project funding has been allocated per year to pilot projects under the strategy. Between five and 12 consultants are commissioned to deliver between five and 20 projects each year, depending on the project scope. The consultants are typically adult educators with experience in workplace education, curriculum and/or materials development, project management, and research. As the assessment function within the Branch expands, Assessment Administrators and Referral Counselors are recruited and hired as part-time consultants. Material resources such as textbooks and authentic documents are purchased as required. In-house staff work on the layout and design of assessment tools and materials created for the pilot projects. Staff from the Finance Department assists with contracts and budgeting.
3.0 Benefits of Essential Skills StrategyThe development and implementation of the Essential Skills Strategy benefits the Apprenticeship Branch in many ways. Some of these benefits are immediate and tangible; others are longer term benefits that arise out of the creation of more effective processes, or the development of new partnerships. Branch staff and adult education providers have an increased awareness of the Essential Skills and upgrading needs of apprentices and trades qualifiers. A growing number of employers, unions, Aboriginal communities, and special interest groups are recognizing the significance of Essential Skills, and the importance of training to overall employability. This raises the profile of the trades, and creates a more realistic picture of the high level of Essential Skills required of a skilled trades person. The Branch’s efforts to raise awareness about Essential Skills have resulted in increased information reaching apprentices about required “readiness” for technical training. As more and more apprentices ensure that they acquire the necessary Essential Skills, training funds allocated for apprenticeship technical training will be more efficiently deployed. A greater number of apprentices are expected to progress through technical training more quickly and easily. Apprentices experience less frustration as they move through training to full employability. Branch staff concerns about ill-prepared apprentices are validated through Essential Skills. In addition, staff has assessment tools which help them to communicate Essential Skills requirements to apprentices and their employers. Apprentices and trades qualifiers who are referred to adult education providers for upgrade training often adopt a philosophy of “lifelong learning”. In some cases, this leads them to complete other forms of accredited training. Work on Essential Skills has also affected internal Branch processes and policies. For example, during the development of an Essential Skills Strategy, the Branch analyzed some of its apprenticeship intake and referral processes. As a result, Branch staff decided to store information about apprenticeship candidates’ English language and Essential Skills in the Branch database. This will allow future research to be conducted into Essential Skills-related issues. Through the Essential Skills Strategy, the Branch has expanded partnerships with other government departments, First Nations communities, labour training groups, literacy programs, and colleges. By employing what is already available and customizing resources and programs according to the needs, the Apprenticeship Branch has supported the development of Essential Skills expertise and training skills within communities and among educators. Most significantly, the Branch has forged new partnerships with adult education/upgrading providers. The connection with the adult upgrading community has been one of the greatest benefits of the strategy, because this community plays a vital role in the sustainability of Essential Skills training courses and programs across the province. This connection to adult learning centres has, in turn, resulted in a gradual increase in the capacity of adult education providers to address trades-related Essential Skills training needs. Over time, the partnership between the Apprenticeship Branch and adult education providers will result in increased curriculum options for trades-related Essential Skills upgrading.
4.0 Success FactorsThe availability of a provincial Essential Skills Framework and the accompanying government support provided a larger context for the Apprenticeship Branch to develop and implement its own Essential Skills Strategy for Apprenticeship. The provincial climate of support for Essential Skills paved the way for interdepartmental and cross-sectoral activities. In addition, Manitoba’s tradition of workplace education programming created opportunities for the Branch to employ existing programs and tailor them to Essential Skills needs. Within the Branch, success factors include the overall approach to Essential Skills, as well as the foundation of human and material resources to get the Essential Skills Strategy started. From the beginning, Essential Skills were accepted by Branch management as a critical element in the success of apprentices and trades qualifiers. Funding and staff were hence allocated to Essential Skills. Support from other Branch staff was equally instrumental in contributing to the successful development and implementation of the strategy. A “grass-roots approach” was taken in the development of the Essential Skills Strategy and individual pilots. As Essential Skills issues emerged in the day-to-day activities of the Branch, solutions were discussed and piloted. This required considerable time, but allowed for gradual growth and learning for all parties involved. The gradual growth enabled the Branch to build upon early successes, and foster and grow networks and connections. In addition, partnerships forged with related government Branches and with education providers – such as colleges and ALCs – have assisted the Apprenticeship Branch to build upon what was already available, and thereby capitalize on the existing partnerships and connections. Retaining consultants with previous experience in workplace education also contributed to the successful implementation of the strategy. These consultants’ familiarity with workplace education has helped to improve upon and customize existing programs for apprenticeship.
5.0 ChallengesThere have been and continue to be a number of challenges in developing and implementing an Essential Skills Strategy for the Branch. The Branch has made significant investment in the overall strategy in order to progress to its current stage of development. However, as Essential Skills activities expand and multiply, future funding and support must be ensured. The next step is to move successfully-piloted Essential Skills services into the existing adult education infrastructure and create pathways from the Branch to those services. This will also require funding and support. Linked to this is the need to find ways to make the programs and services sustainable in the long run. Managing the many interdependencies of all projects continues to be a challenge. These interdependencies will become more complex as the diversity of apprentices and their needs grow, and as the referral points for apprentices and trades qualifiers increases. Related to this challenge is the issue of containing the “scope” of the strategy. That is, as the strategy evolves there is a concern that future demands will push beyond the system’s ability to respond. Managing long-term expectations and needs will be necessary to avoid this. At the same time, it is a challenge to implement the strategy when stakeholders lack awareness and understanding of Essential Skills issues. Essential Skills staff at the Branch is focused on piloting existing products and partnerships, and cannot concurrently develop new ones. For example, the Branch would experience a challenge to find the staff and time necessary to forge more comprehensive partnerships with businesses and unions. Finding and retaining good consultants (especially curriculum developers) when they are in high demand across the province is an issue that the Branch continues to face. Similarly, locating and training innovative instructors to teach and develop materials for trades-related Essential Skills upgrading has been a challenge for the strategy’s implementation. Exposing more Essential Skills instructors or adult educators to the trades is another issue that impacts the number of instructors available to deliver Essential Skills training for apprentices. While the Branch provides some of the curriculum documents necessary for the training, it is up to instructors to customize the curriculum for a particular trade or apprentice group. This can be difficult for the instructor if he/she has very little exposure to and familiarity with the skilled trades. Before they are able to deliver a program they may require professional development. The shortage of trades-related Essential Skills teaching resources also affects instructors. While a fair amount of trade math resources is available, Reading and Document Use materials are often lacking. Although the burden of producing the necessary materials falls upon instructors, they may obtain some assistance from the Branch. This lack of teaching resources is complicated by the lack of trade-specific experience of some instructors. In northern Manitoba, this shortage of materials and experience is magnified. The Apprenticeship Branch also faces the challenge of integrating new processes into existing systems. A number of Branch processes are being affected by changes in the Essential Skills area; process and policy decisions need to be made about the degree to which Essential Skills are implemented and the pace at which this happens. For example, assessment decisions put pressure on policy development. The Branch database will need to be revised to capture an apprenticeship candidate’s Essential Skills assessment information and upgrading progress. Clerical staff must work with information in new ways. The Branch must ensure that its current system can expand to support these new processes. Although the documentation of best practices and the development of Branch policies is one of the five strategic directions of the Strategy, the creation of policy and procedural documentation is not without its challenges. Time constraints result in a focus on the activities themselves with less emphasis on documenting best practices. Policies around assessment, implementation, and confidentiality (sharing information with training providers) make the interdependencies of various project activities very apparent. Existing regulations and practices need to be reviewed in light of new Essential Skills practices. Monitoring upgrading, technical training programs/courses, and accountability are also necessary to ensure ongoing success of the strategy. When time is short, a program evaluation may not be as thoroughly completed. A weak or incomplete evaluation may not make strong business cases for Essential Skills upgrading. Finally, a learner’s overall attitude towards upgrading and readiness for technical training in the trades is a challenge. The successful recruitment of candidates largely depends upon their willingness to improve their skills. Generally, among the trades there is not a strong culture of classroom training; a great deal of stigma is attached to those who self-identify their learning needs. In addition, many adults claim that they lack the time to attend a training program.
6.0 Future DirectionsThe main aim for the Apprenticeship Branch is to integrate Essential Skills products and services into existing systems. In the future, the Branch aims to:
Branch is considering assessing the Essential Skills of mature students immediately upon receiving their application for the apprenticeship program instead of waiting until concerns present themselves closer to technical training. This will provide the candidates with opportunities to seek out Essential Skills training prior to commencing technical training, and will thereby increase their readiness and chance for success. Recognizing the importance of building upon existing services and infrastructure, the Branch would like to work more with provincial colleges, adult educators, and trades instructors and raise awareness of the need for Essential Skills training with other trades. This, in turn, will help to build a capacity necessary to fully integrate and sustain trades-related Essential Skills upgrading for Manitoba apprentices and trades qualifiers.
7.0 Program/Project ContactMargerit Roger, M.Ed.
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