In addition to the key objectives listed, a number of key factors were identified in the successful and effective development and implementation of the case study initiatives. These factors are discussed in the following subsections.

4.1 Factors contributing to successful initiatives

Participants interviewed for each case study were asked to discuss the key factors that led to the initiative’s success. The frequently-cited success factors are summarized below. Other factors identified and specific to that case study organization can be reviewed in the appended case study reports.

Partnerships are key to successful initiatives

Some type of partnership was evident in all seven case studies examined; the success of these partnerships led to the success of the initiative. SkillPlan’s organizational structure is based on a joint labour and management partnership agreement and was formed in response to the construction industry’s need for Essential Skills training.

Similar to SkillPlan, the CCQ is a joint employer – labour partnership essentially created by the Quebec government in response to a need.¹⁷ The involvement of industry employers and union associations in the development and integration of Essential Skills training into apprenticeship technical training greatly contributed to the success of the initiative. The collaboration of and partnership with the Ministère de l’Éducation was another key factor which contributed to the CCQ’s success. This partnership continues to provide them with the support they need to maintain the programs. Finally, the expertise and knowledge of the CCQ team that worked on the development and integration of Essential Skills training into technical training was instrumental to the success of the initiative.

The CARS Council initiative also involves an employer – employee partnership. Partnering with the federal government, the CARS Council was able to undertake and complete a two-year research project to prepare skills profiles for seven key occupations; develop an Essential Skills assessment tool and process; identify and measure Essential Skills levels in seven key occupations; and compare the Essential Skills levels inherent in existing industry curricula/training materials with the occupational Essential Skills requirements. The results of the research project launched a national strategy for Essential Skills development in the automotive repair and service industry.

The Keyano case study exemplifies a successful partnership between industry and educators. As a result of the successful collaboration between Keyano College and Syncrude Canada Ltd., two programs were created and have since been successfully adapted for other organizations with similar Essential Skills needs. The strong commitment and support of senior leaders in Syncrude were key to the success of the partnership between Keyano College and Syncrude. “Essential Skills training ensures that Syncrude employees have the skills and confidence required for today’s workplace to prepare them to meet the challenges of the future”.¹⁸ Support from senior leaders is essential to the successful implementation of these programs in the workplace setting.

Syncrude Canada not only addressed (and continues to address) its needs, it also indirectly assisted other organizations. The success of the partnership between Syncrude Canada and Keyano College has also resulted in the creation of enhanced programs (such as incorporating a safety focus into the ERIC program). The changing needs of one business environment can be tailored to suit the needs of other organizations.

The partnership between the Manitoba government and the OCN illustrates the success of the Manitoba government efforts to address Essential Skills needs in the province in innovative ways, and the OCN’s success in providing their trainees with a solid base upon which they can become self-sufficient and productive.

Capacity-Building is a win-win solution for all stakeholders involved

The Manitoba – OCN partnership demonstrates that through an Essential Skills initiative local communities can develop Essential Skills expertise and the capacity to teach others about new methods of curriculum development and program delivery. This was cited in the Manitoba case study as a factor for success. Building upon existing resources, programs or partnerships is one of the main thrusts of the Manitoba Apprenticeship Branch’s Essential Skills Strategy. As a result, projects undertaken as part of the strategy attempt to build capacity both within the Branch and within external stakeholders. Manitoba’s Essential Skills strategy can be described as a system of interdependent activities and processes, rather than a series of projects and activities. In areas of scant human and/or educational resources (in northern Manitoba, for example), a considerable amount of Essential Skills and trades-related upgrading training must be done. Thus, the development of local capacity to address Essential Skills issues is the key to sustainability.

For the OCN, the only way to deliver a highly flexible, trainee-centered apprenticeship program was to take control of the process and develop its own system. Local people who were familiar with the community and committed to the program were trained to deliver the program.

Nova Scotia also relies on resources from within the community to assist in delivering its programs and processes. By adapting existing programs, stakeholders such as community groups, unions, employers, and government develop better working relations. Collaboration between stakeholders is critical to the successfully implementation of Essential Skills training programs. Involving stakeholders and collaborating with them during the development of a program ensures that all partners are aware of and accept the resources required to support and advance the program. This was evident in the partnerships forged between the Nova Scotia government and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 625, and other trade unions such as the Iron Workers and Paint Decorators, who assisted the government by pilot testing the Essential Skills training courses. In return, the unions were able to address the Essential Skills needs of some of their members.

An assessment process is vital to creating successful learning plans for the learner

An assessment process employed by some of the case study organizations is another factor which contributes to the success of an Essential Skills initiative. When an initial assessment of a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses is conducted and then used to create a customized learning plan the candidate is able to obtain the necessary Essential Skills training and successfully complete their apprenticeship training. Three case study organizations discussed the assessment process and tools developed for their specific initiative. The Nova Scotia initiative employs an informal process to assess potential candidates for Essential Skills training, although other assessment tools are accessed as required. A Skill Development Coordinator and/or Apprenticeship Training Officer focus on identifying each candidate’s strengths.

Manitoba’s Apprenticeship Branch is currently exploring how best to integrate Essential Skills assessments into existing apprenticeship intake processes. This also affects application forms, administrative procedures and data storage. The assessment itself is conducted through a series of steps. An assessment package is given to and discussed with the candidate, who learns more about Essential Skills from an information page contained in the package. Candidates then compare their levels of Essential Skills with the levels required for a specific trade by using a self-assessment checklist included in the package, and complete a set of trades-specific exercises to determine whether they possess the Essential Skills required. Based on the results of the self-assessment and exercises completed, a Referral Counselor then determines the candidate’s upgrading needs.

Both the Nova Scotia and Manitoba case studies illustrate that the human contact between an assessor and a candidate, as well as the assessor’s interest in the candidate are key factors which help to successfully create training plans for the candidate. By focusing on the candidate’s strengths and not weaknesses, the candidate’s confidence in their ability to complete apprenticeship training is raised.

The CARS Council has also developed an assessment tool that is different from the tools developed by Nova Scotia and Manitoba. The CARS Essential Skills Assessment Tool consists of a scale which identifies five levels of complexity and serves to compare the Essential Skills requirements identified in occupational profiles with the actual Essential Skills levels of workers. This tool enabled the CARS Council to identify the gaps in and potential barriers to training initiatives in the occupations profiled, and led to recommended actions.

Trades-specific and customized programs and courses are essential for successful initiatives

Offering trades-specific and customized programs and courses was cited by all case study organizations as another requisite for success. To be relevant to a learner, curriculum needs to be customized to a specific trade. The main reason for Keyano College programs’ successful uptake with Syncrude and other subsequent industry partners is the fact that program materials are relevant to the workforce. Apprentices can better relate to Essential Skills training if the curriculum and material pertain to the trade they know and in which they work.

A flexible trainee-centered approach leads to people feeling positive about learning

Linked to the previous factor is the need for a flexible, trainee-centered approach to delivering the training.

In the OCN example, training is designed to suit the needs of the trainees, be flexible, and can be adjusted as the training is delivered. The Essential Skills training program has been successfully accepted and implemented in the community because of this approach. Similarly, both the ERIC and SAM programs developed by Keyano College responded to trainee needs and continue to be adapted to suit the needs of each new industry partner.

The assessment processes employed in the Manitoba and Nova Scotia Essential Skills strategies also support a trainee-centered approach to training. Indeed, once an assessment is completed, learning or training plans are tailored to suit the needs of the candidate.

An incremental approach to implementing an Essential Skills strategy is a key success factor

In both the Nova Scotia and Manitoba province-wide Essential Skills strategies, a gradual and incremental approach to developing and implementing the strategy and its programs has been necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the strategies. In the case of Manitoba, a grass roots approach and allowing for adequate time to develop and implement the Essential Skills strategy have enabled the Apprenticeship Branch to build upon early successes. This, in turn, has assisted in the development of tools which can be customized to suit other needs.

In retrospect, a phased approach to the development and integration of Essential Skills training would have been more manageable for the CCQ. Tailoring Essential Skills training and integrating it into the technical training component of each construction trade at the same time was an ambitious task from the start.

Human resources support the successful development and implementation of the initiatives

The success of every case study initiative also depended upon the human resources recruited to develop and implement the programs and/or projects at various stages. The need for expertise and staff was and continues to be a major resource need for the viability of the initiative. For example, recruiting good instructors is a key factor in the successful delivery and adoption of the programs. Good instructors contribute to the success of any overall training program.

Willingness to participate in training is essential

Any Essential Skills initiative will succeed if the apprentice candidates or trainees are willing to participate in training. Their buy-in is critical. When candidates do not grasp how Essential Skills training applies to them, instructors (and the program) may encounter many challenges or may not be successful. Apprentices are motivated by occupation-specific training that is delivered by quality instructors. These factors tend to promote Essential Skills training among candidates.

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4.2 Factors contributing to effective initiatives

Part of the benefits identified and discussed in each case study explore the way in which the case study organizations have increased awareness about Essential Skills and created momentum for Essential Skills-related activities. The effectiveness of the initiatives was not assessed, since most of the case study organizations had not yet begun formal evaluations of the initiatives.

Communication efforts have helped raise the level of awareness and understanding

The initiatives underway have helped to raise public awareness and understanding of Essential Skills, even though raising the public’s level of awareness and understanding even higher continues to pose a challenge for Essential Skills stakeholders. Initial public awareness and understanding of Essential Skills was a result of stakeholders’ direct promotion and communication efforts, such as those cited in the Nova Scotia and Manitoba government’s Essential Skills strategies. Increased awareness is also a result of the partnerships that have been created between different stakeholders such as government, union, employers, and educators.

Manitoba government’s grass roots approach and adequate allocation of time to build the tools and processes necessary in the Essential Skills strategy resulted in a number of successes that the Apprenticeship Branch has been able to showcase in its communication and promotion material about Essential Skills. This has helped to raise the awareness of Essential Skills among stakeholders.

Essential Skills stakeholders can assist in building awareness and understanding of Essential Skills issues by documenting previous successes and communicating them to the public. In the Keyano case study, demonstrating how Essential Skills link to the workplace in such areas as workplace safety, for example, was recommended as one way to emphasize the importance and significance of Essential Skills to senior leaders.

Stakeholders benefit from information and data collected by case study organizations

Another benefit for stakeholders is the information and data collected by case study organizations. In the case of the CARS Council the assessment results of the Essential Skills complexity levels in seven occupations provided the Council with trends and data that it can analyze, interpret and apply to other industry occupations. Similarly, the development of the Essential Skills strategy enabled the Manitoba Apprenticeship Branch to analyze and improve its apprenticeship intake processes.

The information and data produced are also beneficial to stakeholders within and external to industry sectors. The publications produced by SkillPlan have benefited organizations outside the construction sector. Many secondary schools and colleges from across Canada, for example, are integrating resources such as Numeracy Rules, Measurement for the Trades into prescribed curricula. As a result, educators can teach using trades-relevant materials so they can realistically prepare students for a career in the trades.

In the larger context, SkillPlan sees itself as an ambassador between two communities: the formal education system and industry. Many institutions actively seek to meet industry needs, but lack a clear direction on specific requirements. SkillPlan supports both communities by enabling industry to better define its requirements, communicating effectively to educators, and providing educators with tangible tools to help them meet industry training needs.

Capacity building has benefited all stakeholders

The ability of community and stakeholders to develop local Essential Skills expertise and the capacity to teach others about new methods of curriculum development and program delivery are other success factors. This is the case for both the Nova Scotia and Manitoba initiatives. The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development Branch has been able to reach out and support the training needs in Aboriginal communities and African Nova Scotian communities as a result of working with local available experts and resources. This outreach has benefited the communities and has enabled the Branch to deliver the necessary training.

The process of developing and delivering an Essential Skills program using local people has been beneficial to the OCN community. As a result of the initiative, OCN trainees develop construction skills, and OCN staff develops the ability to instruct other trainees who may participate in future programs.

Similarly, the Apprenticeship Branch of the Manitoba government has benefited from the partnerships forged with adult education providers. This has enabled adult education providers to gradually address trades-related Essential Skills training needs. It has also multiplied the available curricula for trades-related Essential Skills upgrade training.

Apprentices’ self-esteem and confidence levels have been positively affected

The assessment tools employed by both Nova Scotia and Manitoba have positively affected apprentices’ or learners’ self-esteem and confidence levels. When stakeholders emphasize a more informal approach to assessing a learner’s existing levels of Essential Skills, the learner feels less intimidated by the process. In turn, stakeholders who include the learner in the development of a learning or training program find that the learner is more motivated to “buy into” and complete the training.

Testimonials cited in the various appended case studies illustrate the benefits of each initiative from the learner’s perspective. The educators employed by SkillPlan maintain that helping a person master Essential Skills increases self-confidence.²⁰ Apprentices believe that they can learn, that they are good learners, and that they can continue to learn in their work and personal lives. The ultimate benefit of this for apprenticeship stakeholders is a reduction in the number of times that an apprentice fails examinations or repeats apprenticeship training. Given that this was not measured in any of the seven case studies this finding is based on anecdotal evidence.

From the perspective of an educational stakeholder, Keyano College benefited from its partnership with a business organization. The ERIC and SAM programs are now adapted and offered to a number of other businesses. Anecdotal evidence suggests that employee confidence has increased, there are fewer safety concerns, and the workforce is more productive as a result of the programs’ success.

17. History of the CCQ. Retrieved from http://www.ccq.org/A_QuiSommesNous/A4_Historique.aspx?lang=en&profil=GrandPublic.
    
18. Interview from Case Study: Keyano College – Essential Skills Programs. (2006). p. 7.
    

20. 20 Case Study: SkillPlan – Essential Skills Project. (2006).
    

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