This paper reports results to date of a three-year project by Athabasca University, intended to determine the education and training needs and interests of employees in a work camp in northern Alberta's oil sands. (Future reports will address results of efforts to provide programming suiting the needs identified, and the uptake, satisfaction,…

A Canadian study explored the economic benefits of improving literacy skills in the workplace from the perspective of both employers and employees. The Conference Board identified and measured these benefits by conducting a survey of 40 employers, as well as by analyzing data gathered in the International Adult Literacy Survey. The study found…

In November, 1995, ABC CANADA and the National Literacy Secretariat hosted a national think tank on principles of good practice in workplace and workforce education. This report contains the results of the think tank sessions, including how the discussion was conducted, a list of good practice statements, and some ideas about how to conduct a…

This study addresses the issue of how new forms of work organization (NFWO) are affecting job skill requirements. Practices such as job rotation, problem-solving teams and self-directed workgroups are thought to increase job skill requirements because they tend to broaden job responsibilities. The study uses the 1999 and 2000 waves of the…

This book contains the personal narratives of six Canadian workplace education instructors. The opening article (Mary Ellen Belfiore) discusses the remaining narratives within the context of the theme that the essence of workplace education is teaching and learning in distinct cultures. "Math Works!" (Brian Nicholson) relates how…

A research project studied Canadian organizations that are using informal organizational learning approaches to embed ongoing learning within the actual work processes. Five organizations that self-identified as learning organizations at mature stages of development were studied in depth. No organization was a paragon of organizational learning.…

Following a discussion of the basic skills required for an adaptable work force and how employers and workplace literacy providers determine which employees require basic skills training, this paper reviews three literacy instruments that can be used in workplace basic skills programs. A basic skills profile is drawn based on a review of the…

Although many Canadians feel that responsibility for occupational training rests within the educational system, this is not the case. Recent analysis indicates that almost 70 percent of job-related courses are given on-site as compared to 30 percent at educational institutions. Because the private sector in Canada makes very substantial…

This manual was developed as a guide for setting up a workplace education program. Based on the Workplace Education Project (WEP) in Peterborough, Ontario, the manual contains nine chapters that provide details of the WEP and suggestions for implementing the process in other locations. The first chapter provides a rationale for a WEP program, and…

A study provided extensive statistics and documentation of Canadian adults' work and learning activities. The study included statistics for household labor and community volunteer activities as well as paid employment. Learning activities included both formal course work and informal learning, as well as on-the-job training. Data sources were the…

The literature on business involvement in education in Canada, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and other European countries was reviewed. Special attention was paid to the following topics: workplace trends/changes; skill requirements/deficits; youth employment/unemployment; integration versus…

This book contains 21 papers from the Nordic-Canadian Learning for the Workplace Conference, which was held in Hanasaari, Espoo, Finland in June 1995. The following papers are included: "Introduction to the Nordic-Canadian Learning for the Workplace Conference" (Olli-Pekka Heinonen); "Conference Design and Process" (Diane…