DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 387 595 CE 069 906

AUTHOR ::;lor, MauriceTITIL dorkplace Basic Skills. A Study of 10 Canadian

Programs.

PUB DATE Jul 95

NOTE 101p.

PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141)

EDR$ PRICE MFOI/PC05 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Adult Basic Education; Basic Skills; Employer

Employee Relationship; Foreign Countries; *LaborForce Development; *Literacy Education; ProgramDescriptions; Program Development; ProgramImplementation

IDENTIFIERS *Canada; *Workplace Literacy

ABSTRACTPresented in case study format, this report looks at

different types of workplace literacy programs across Canada. Itdescribes in some detail 10 particular work environments and theunique characteristics that have enabled each to offer quality workereducation programs. Each case study provides information in thesecategories: profile (an abstract of the program), company background,human resources policy, program description, services and trainingdelivered, decision making about the program, program impacts,barriers to implementation, policy influences, innovative programfeatures, and advice to others. The following programs are described:Workplace Language Program, University of British Columbia; Workers'Education for Skills Training Program, City of Saskatoon EngineeringWorks Branch; A Workplace Learning Centre, The Calgary Herald;Workplace Education Program, Northwoodcare, A Halifax Nursing CareFacility; Learning Initiatives for Tomorrow, Newfoundland andLabrador Hydro; Workplace Education Program, Intertape Polymer Inc.,Truro, Nova Scotia; Workers' Education Training Program, Atlas GrahamIndustries Co. Ltd.; Roofers' Educational Skills Ttaining Program,Alberta Roofing Contractors Association; Workplace Education Program,Brunswick Mining and Smelting Corp. Ltd.; and Basic Education forSkills Training Program, Ottawa's Central Experimental Farm Region.The report concludes with a comparative section outlining somelessons to inform practice in the field. (YLB)

***********************************************************************

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

from the original document.***********************************************************************

or4laceasic Skills

A Study of 10

Canadian Programss

U.S. DEPARTMENTOF EDUCATIONMx, Ectucabonai

Rosearch and ImprownnentED RONAL RESOURCES

INFORMATIONCENTER (ERtC)The doCument his teen reocoduce0 ssretetved from the Dotson or orgwizahonCrogrnahng It

0 Minor changeshave bean made to improve0119rOduCtion Quality

Pcmts OP wee oropinions stated m this docOo nOt MIKOSIMIrdy

represent officlalOERI Rosman or policy

"PCRMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

TO THE EDUCATOW/ RESOURCES

INFORMATION C NTER (ERIC).-

Partnerships in LearningMaurice Taylor,

University of OttawaFaculty of Education

Ottawa, Ontario

July 1995

BEST C0PMVA1LABLE

Ti

or..place

asic Skills

A Study of 10Canadian Programs

Partnerships in LearningMaurice Taylor,

University of OttawaFaculty of Education

Ottawa, Ontario

July 1995

Acknowledgements

A special appreciation and acknowledgement to Brigid Hayes, National Literacy Secretariat for heradvice and expertise throughout the duration of the project. As well, the advisory team would like toexpress its gratitude to the many partners who were committed and dedicated to making this reporthappen Linda Calahan, Martine Clement, Aline Demers, Bill Grant, Terry Lapointe, Conrad Murphy,Elizabeth Orton, Darcy Rhyno, Julie Salembier, Dave Siermachesky, Mary Taylor, Paul Temple, AngelaTessier, and Tina Woods.

4

What's this report all about?

It's about people trying to better themselves at

their jobs. It's about employees and employers

making changes at the workplace. It's about

basic skills training.

This report looks at 10 different workplace

literacy programs across the country. In case

study format, the report describes in some

detail a number of work environments and the

unique characteristics that have enabled it to

offer a quality worker education program. This

document represents the actual voices of the

program participants from top manager to

front line workers, from program instructors

to shop floor supervisors.

The reader will find 10 different stories of how

employers and employees have developed and

sustained workplace training. As well, there

is a section which describes some of tl.;e lessons

that can be learned from these case studies to

inform our practice.

What makes a workplace program innovative?

Our paticipants have said it's a combination

of program flexibility, a committed

management, a co-operative team, quality

instructors, a positive psychological classroom

environment and an employee centred

program focus.

What were the most common barriers

experienced in setting up the workplace

programs? Our participants clearly stated that

they were program costs, location, unexpected

delays, lack of company infrastructure,

difficulty enrolling the first students and

company apprehension.

What advice can be given to others planning

to implement a program? Our participants

have these suggestions to offer: access available

community resources, develop partnership

funding, make the program voluntary,

complete a needs assessment and develop a

multi level planning committee.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

The University of British ColumbiaWorkplace Language Program 3

City of Saskatoon Engineering Works BranchWorkers' Education for Skills Training Program 12

The Calgary HeraldA Workplace Learning Centre 21

Northwoodcare, A Halifax Nursing Care FacilityWorkplace Education Program 30

Newfoundland and Labrador HydroLearning Initiatives for Tomor-ow 39

Intertape Polymer Inc., Truro, Nova ScotiaWorkplace Education Program 47

Atlas Graham Industries Co. Ltd.Workers' Education Training Program 56

The Alberta Roofing Contractors AssociationRoofers' Educational Skills Training Program 64

B-unswick Mining and Smelting Corp. Ltd.Workplace Education Program 72

Ottawa's Central Experimental Farm RegionBasic Education for Skills Training Program 80

What Lessons can be Learned to Inform our Practice? 90

Introduction

In this last decade, the Canadian workplace

has evolved into a far more diverse and

demanding environment. Out of necessity,

companies have had to be flexible and more

competitive by getting their fixed costs down.

Common ways of doing this seem to be

through downsizing, cutting out management

layers and outsourcing certain functions.

These kinds of measures have been a result of

many factors. One of the most important

ones, though, involves the growth of the

information economy. "Grey matter" or mind

oriented work is becoming much more

important, while repetitive labour intensive

activities have become less ithportant. In the

meantime, howevei-, there is a workforce who

is untrained to take on these particular jobs.

As factories shift to a new type of paper chase

and small and medium sized companies talk

about implementing a learning oraganization,

a re-examination of how Canadian business

and industry prepare and maintain the basic

skills of it's workforce is underway. Some

corporations have chosen to go to the source

of the problem. They have "adopted" schools

and by working with principals, they create

programs that better prepare the pool of

students from which they must choose their

future employees.

Others have chosen to seek more immediate

solutions by establishing in-house workplace

training programs to help improve the basic

skills of the present labour force. This report

is about those companies. Workplace basis skills

training: A study of 10 Canadian programs is a

document which looks at different types of

workplace literacy programs across the country.

Presented in case study format, it describes how

employers and employeei have developed and

sustained workplace training.

Designed after the 1993 report Narrowing the

Skills Gap: Workplace literacy programs, this

document describes in some detail 10

particular work environments and the unique

characteristics that. have enabled it to offer a

quality worker education program.

The project, which started last September, was

designed around three phases: workplace

program selection, interviews with the

different program participants and case study

drafting and verification. Through the

assistance of an advisory committee 10

programs were identified based on the

following criteria: region, program

innovativeness, program leadership, program

accountability and program longevity.

Once the programs were selected, field

researchers in each of the regions interviewed

the different stakeholders using standard

interview schedules. For each program, the

interviewees consisted of a company human

resource, a company supervisor, a union

representative, a workplace program co-

ordinator, an instructor and a focus group of

employees. Following these consultations,

field notes were written, case studies were

developed and the information verified by

interviewees.

fhe reader will find in each case study,

information written under the following

categories: Profile, (which is an abstract of the

program), Company Background, Human

Resources Policy, Program Description,

Services and Training Delivered, Decision

Making About the Program, Program Impacts,

Barriers to Implementation, Policy Influences,

Innovative Prog .am Features and Advise to

Others. The report concludes with a

comparative section outlining some of the

lessons that can inform our practice in the

field.

The Universityof BritishColumbia

WI.orkplace Language

Program

9

PROFILE

The University of British ColumbiaWorkplace Language Program

is

T h

University ofBritish Columbia

a non-profit,publicly-supported organization which wasestablished in 1915. In response to some of thetechnological and organizational changes theyexperienced, the university was taxed with anincreasing demand for both stronger technicalskills and sharper basic skills, such as reading,writing and oral communication among theiremployees.

The workplace language program has been in placefor almost two years. It was customized to meetthe specific needs of the employees at the universityand is administered by a standing committee, atraining coordinator and a training section wholiaise with the Hastings Institute the deliveryagency. The teaching methods are interactive,group-oriented and experiential. Reading, writingand numeracy skills are taught, as well as listeningand speaking skills. The classes meet twice a week,day or evening, from two to four hours. Theprogram has shifted from mostly custodial staff,to a more eclectic representation of the wholeuniversity community.

The workplace language program evolved due toconcerns for higher quality service, increasedhealth and safety practices and changes in theavailable workforce. Changing labour andmanagement relations and a commitment to buildcross-cultural learning and integration were alsokey factors in the decision- to implement theprogram. The impacts of the program are dynamicin nature. There is a clear indication that the abilityof the workers to read, communicate, learn newtechnologies and problem solve has all increasedsubstantially since the program began.

Barriers around the novelty of launching aworkplace language program, as well as cost andscheduling issues were of particular concern duringthe implementation stage. There were also somepersonal barriers experienced by some of theparticipants such as time release problems, familyconflicts and the embarrassment of revealing thatthey had a literacy-related problem.

There were several highly creative features of thisworkplace language program. The first of thesewas the casual, relaxed, non-threateningenvironment in which the learning took place.The second was the flexibility of the program andthe third feature was related to the thiiroughbackground research that was done by thecommittee on the various types of serviceproviders.

To further encourage others to considerimplementing a workplace program, the followingreflects some of the thoughtful advice thatparticipants have to offer: include employees inall the planning discussions, take time to plan thedesign, secure funding, develop partnerships andknow the employees' needs.

10

The University of British ColumbiaWorkplace Language Program

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is anon-profit, publicly supported university whichwas established in 1915. It employs more than10,000 employees from a wide range of ethnicbackgrounds. The employees are approximately50% women and 50% men with the average agebeing 41.

As with most universities the largest proportionof the workforce is made up of faculty followedby technical personnel. Clerical support,management, professionals and labourerscontribute to a smaller segment of the workfoke.The remaining 5% of the labour force is custodialand food services employees. Ninety percent offood services workers are employed seasonally and50% of custodial workers aie part-time. Most ofthese employees have be.en represented by a unionincluding different locals of CUPE beginning in1946. Management and professionals are excludedstaff.

One ofthe foreseen changes forthe university is the reductionin the size of its workforce.

These cut-backs and diminishing resources willincrease the need for more internal promotionsand in-house training, to help compensate for theunstable economic times.

The University of British Columbia hasn'tdownsized their organization over the past 5 yearsand their turnover rate remains as low as 0-10%.Although it does not have a policy which definesa career ladder within the organization other thanperformance above seniority, or a pool of skilledworkers ready for advancement, the company doesgive, within the union context, priority to currentemployes when jobs above entry level becomeavailable. On occasion, training follows thesepromotions, or promotions follow the training.However, there are still some employees whoseskills are too low to make them promotable.

In terms of wages, UBC management earns about80% of what a private sector manager would earn.Custodial workers earn a similar wage toVancouver Regional District employees as in theCity of Victoria and City of Vancouver. Privatesector custodial workers earn minimum wages toabout $8.00 per hour. Also, UBC clerical workersat step 1 in the pay scale earn about $1.35 perhour more than a City of Vancouver clerk. Withregards to sick leave, vacation pay and leniencetowards lateness, the organization is more generousthan other employers of the same size. They alsooffer a wide range of fringc benefits such as: health,life and disability insurance, pensions, vacationpay, parental leave and tuition reimbursement.

11

The shortage of skills that theprogram has responded to ranges

from new technology andchanges in the organization ofwork, to problems within theeducational system itself

All of these factors have contributed to theincreasing demand for both stronger technicalskills and sharper communication skills, such asreading, writing and oral communication. Thedecision to upgrade basic skill levels was directlyrelate,1 to these two demands. It has also becomeincrea.,ingly important to be a team player and agood problem solver. In terms of human resourceissues, the management have identified severalinternal difficulties such as absenteeism andlateness, labour costs, productivity, employeemorale and worker/management relations.

One of the strategies that the University hasemployed to address these issues has been toenhance the appeal of the internal jobs by makingthem more accessible. They do this through theiruse of training programs.

Trogram"Description

The Workplace Language Program has beenoperating for the two years at the University ofBritish Columbia. It is an otiginal program that

was entirely customized to meet the specific needsof the employees at the University.

It is administered by a standing committee, atraining co-ordinator and a training section, wholiaise with the Hastings Institute. This standingcommittee is made up of a resource manager, aninternal consultant, union representatives, anemployee representative and traineerepresentatives. They are all collectively responsiblefor administering the literacy and basic skillsprogram. There is ongoing liaison between theprogram participants and the training co-ordinator. All of the services are delivered by anoutside training institute.

The program is not viewed as a

fringe benefit by management.The University offers severaldifferent support services to assist

those employees participatingin training .Programs.

There is a tuition reimbursement plan, tutoringand counselling support services. However, thesesupport services do not apply to this basic skillsprogram. Although wages are not raised as a

1 2

guaranteed result of completing the program, itdoes increase the employees chance of promotion.

The teaching methods used to deliver the programare group oriented, interactive and sometimesexperiential. Reading, writing and numeracy skillsare taught, as well as listening and speaking skills.The classes meet Monday to Thursday, eitherduring the work day, or in the evenings from 2 to4 hours. The course is 18 weeks long and thelearners meet on both company and employeetime, at the worksite. Participation is voluntary.

Over 120 people haveparticipated in the programsince it's inception.

Approximately 35 people are currently in theprogram and 40-50 people typically participatein each term or cycle. The teacher/student ratio is1-5. The participants vary greatly, in both theirethnic and educational backgrounds with peopleof Asian, northern and central European andHispanic descent being the two largest groups toparticipate in the training, followed by those ofSlavic and eastern European descent. Somestudents have secondary diplomas while othershave community college technical certificates oruniversity degrces. All occupations, excludingmanagement, are currently represented in theprogram. The program has moved from a large

representation of custodial staff, to a broaderrepresentation of the university community. Theprogram costs the university $30,000 for each 18week session and release time when applicable.

The University of British Columbia first initiatedthe contact with the Hastings Institute.

Pressures for higher qualityservice played a key role in theUniversity's decision toimplement theprogram.

Increased health and safety practices, changes inthe available workforce and a need to reduce errorsand waste were also important factors in theirdecision. Lastly, changing labour andmanagement relations, as well as bringing theworkforce together to build cross cultural learningand interaction, also contributed to the decisionto implement the program.

As the Human Resource Manager mentionedidentifying the training needs of the workplaceand identifying the learning needs of the workerswere co-equal priorities. As well, all stakeholdersexpressed an interest in evaluating the programimpacts. Some supervisory staff believe thatschools have failed to provide workers withadequate basic skills and, therefore, believe thatthe entry level workers need this basic skills

13

training to be "worth their wages". As a result,this training is offered to all employees on a firstcome first serve basis.

In the very early stages of planning, muchdiscussion ensued from the different types ofcommittee participantsfrom employees tomanagementas to the benefits and potentialdisadvantages of proceeding with such aninitiative. Turnover, portability of training,practicality and costs were some arguments madeagainst starting up a program.

Also during this phase the organizing committeesolicited input from both the employees and theirsupervisors in making decisions that effected them,especially with regards to the actual design of theprogram. At the same time the service provider,who eventually facilitated the basic skills trainingand literacy groups, collaborated with bothsupervisors and employees about the company andtrainee goals and in particular to programcomponents such as implementation, monitoring

and evaluation.

Costs and location were actual problemsencountered during the initial planning anddiscussion stage while site and schedulingproblems occurred as the program was

implemented. Both start-up costs and operatingcosts were covered by the university. Generally

speaking, all parties that were interviewed felt thatthey had participated in aspects of the programplanning and implementation stage including aresearch project and examining proposals from allprospective service providers.

Although informal evaluations have beenconducted on the program, the University has notyet attempted to formally measure the "returns"of the program. The current criteria for evaluatingprogram success is the completion of requiredhours of class time and learner and tutorassessment of trainee writing skills. In additionsupervisory staff and co-workers have also beeninvolved in evaluating program impacts. Thecompletion rate of participants in the program isbetween 90-100%.

As well, there is an overall

consensus by all partners thatthe program has had a positiveimpact on both individuals and

the workplace.

Since the impacts of the program were rich incontent and varied from person to person, asummary of each major interview on thiscomponent is reported here. The manager

14

interviewed explained that the program willcontinue whether or not funding can be secured.The service provider, as well, is committed toensuring the continuation of the program. If itcannot, it will simply be modified given therestraints. There is a strong belief that the programis fulfilling its goals and that there is goodcommunication between the university and theeducation provider. The manager was also satisfiedwith everything from the basic logistics of theprogram, to the content, learning gains, teachingmethods and workplace impacts.

The supervisor connected to the program wasinstrumental in recruiting 19 workers toparticipate in the training. Here there is a strongbelief that the workers learned more aboutcommunication, co-operation and problemsolving. Although there were problems with theproduction goals, due to the amount of releasetime, the supervisor was satisfied with the content,learning gains and teaching methods of theprogram. The supervisor also noted significantimprovements 'n the abilities of the workers toread, communicate and problem solve, as well asthe morale and quality of worker interaction. Hebelieved that error rates, the quality of output andcustomer satisfaction were also significantlyimpacted. On the other hand, a concern was raisedthat the people who might need the program themost, may not be taking it because of multipleresponsibilities at home.

Together the trainees who were interviewed andthe union representative agreed that the ability ofthe workers to read, communicate, demonstratework effort and reciprocate customer satisfactionwere significant and observable program impacts.

They were also satisfied with their new abilities toproblem solve and participate more effectively inteam work. Time savings, error rates and abilityto use new technologies were also reported assuccessful components of the program. However,there was a consensus that the program had notsignificantly influenced absenteeism, lateness,morale or worker safety.

Both the instructor and the program co-ordinatorreported all of the above mentioned goals as beingpositive program impacts. However, they were notsatisfied with the scheduling of the program.Threaded through all of the interviews on thisprogram component, there was a clear consensusthat the ability of the workers to read,communicate, learn new technologies andproblem solve had all increased considerably andthat the completion rate was further evidence oflearner needs being met.

At the outset of the program, before researchingthe various options, one set of barriers experiencedby management was not knowing how to designa program and the types of training available inthe community.

They were unclear as to whattheir employees needed andwhat they would be gettingfrom basic skills training.

15

Cost, in terms of release time was also a barrier,because they questioned whether workers wouldbe resistant to various types of basic skillremediation. Another issue that managementmentioned was the question of the employersacquiring these skills and then leaving theuniversity for a better position. Although thesebarriers were clearly evident at various stages ofthe planning process, most of them have beenworked out in a satisfactory manner.

The progiam co-ordinator mentioned thatdifferences of opinion, costs, location,unexpected delays, difficulty in enrolling the firststudents and other start-up difficulties wereproblems during the implementation process.The actual participants in the program discussedtime release problems, family conflicts and theembarrassment of revealing that they had aliteracy-related problem, as the major barriers totheir participation in the program.

, Policy Iitfluences

Many different factors would influence theuniversity to continue or to expand the program.For example, evidence from other firmsindicating that basic skills training pays for itselfthrough increased job performance andproductivity, or local forums to allow thecompanies to talk with employers about thecontributions and challenges their programs havehad would be very helpful.

As well, some type of testing developed byemployer organizations to certify that workershave the basic skills required to work in such a

multi-profession multi-skilled workplace wouldhave an influence on expanding a program. Thesebenchmark results would influence the university'sdecision to train workers with low competenciesto achieve the levels needed for certification.

The availability of technical assistance was also afactor that would influence the university toexpand the program, particularly technicalassistance provided by the provincial government.A basic skills program designed and implementedby a local community college, school or otheragency would also impact the decision to expand.

Finally, an employer sponsored training andeducation consortium would strongly influencethe university's workplace education decisions, aswould a federal credit to offset up to 2% of thecompany's contributions to the UnemploymentInsurance fund. In a similar vein, a larger U.I.reduction, such as 33%, would have an evengreater influence on the company's decision.Available grants which eliminated the firms "outof pocket" costs, would also significantly influencethe decision to implement or expand a workplaceprogram.

, .

InnoVatiye Featu res of the- Program'

One group offactors related toprogram innovativeness couldbe described as the positivepsychological environment that

16

was created for the learning totake place in.

For example, characteristics such as the ability towork on your own, feeling relaxed in the class andnot pressured for deadlines and tests along withco-operative rather than competitivecommunication among students fit into thiscategory. The fact that no report cards orevaluations were given to the supervisors alsocontributed to a positive classroom environment.

Another key innovative feature was the flexibilityof the program. The trainees stated that althoughlearners were at different levels, or had differentideas, they still felt accepted by one another andworked well together. Teachers being able to helpstudents in whatever area they needed help in alsocontributed to a flexible program. Most traineesalso enjoyed working together in a situation otherthan work which provided a social dimension tothe program.

A third factor related to program innovativenesswas the thorough background work that was doneby the committee on the various service providers.This helped in building open communicationbetween union, management and within thesteering committee. As a result, this openness wasreflected in a program accessibility policy thatallowed all workers the option of enrolling in theprogram.

-Advie.e tO Others Plannino: a -Siinilar.:PfOgt-am

To further encourage thinking about workplaceprograms we asked this question of all participants

"What advice wouldyou giveto others planning a similarprogram?"

Here is a summary of their thoughtful responses.

Include employees in all the planningdiscussions.

Take the time to think out the design; it maybe the last chance for an employee to have anopportunity for training.

Secure funding for the cost of the program toinsure that all employees who want to take theprogram will be able to do so.

Develop a partnership between union andmanagement.

Advise the company that it is a long terminvestment.

Provide class and location flexibility.

Be committed, able to work together andpromote the program.

Know the needs of the employees.

Advertise the program as voluntary.

17

City ofSaskatoon

EngineeringWorks Branch

The Workers' Educationfor Skills Training

Program

18

PROFILE

City of Saskatoon Engineering Works BranchThe Workers' Education for Skills Training Program

T h eCity of

SaskatoonEngineering

Departmentimplemented their workers' education for skillstraining program in 1993. It is a job integratedprogram specifically designed to meet the trainingneeds of the Works Branch. The specific skill areasthat needed attention were reading, writing,solving mathematical and work-related problemsand orally communicating.

Reading and writing are the primary subjectstaught in the program which is offered in a group-oriented environment. Classes meet twice a weekon the work-site for two hours, during the day orafter work. The course is approximately 12 weekslong. The introduction of new certificationrequirements, technological changes and thecompany's decision to transform the organizationplayed key roles in their decision to implementthe program. Efforts from the SaskatchewanFederation of Labour and CUPE #859 were alsonoteworthy precursors to the initiative.

In general, the content, participant learningsgains,teaching methods and logistics are all successfulaspects of the program. There is also a consensusthat the program has had a significant impact onthe organization as a whole and in meeting theeducational needs of the employees.

One of the barriers faced during theimplementation stage was the lack of resourcesavailable for employers to begin such a project.Another was the question ofwhether they had theinfrastructure in place to adequately address theissues of both cost and the feasibility of allowingworkers to leave their shifts. Concerns were alsoraised around whether there was really a "need"for basic skills training.

:ome of the innovative features of the programinclude the idea of workers training workers, thecooperation from union and management and thesense of confidentiality in all program elements.These features contributed to the positivepromotion of the program and the participants'feelings of "ownership".

Some of the advice that was solicited from theparticipants can be summarized as follows: set upa joint union/management commi..tee to discussand review workplace literacy needs and education,

secure confidentiality, ensure that all managementpersonnel are "on side" and request voluntaryparticipation.

13 19

City of Saskatoon Engineering Works BranchThe Workers' Education for Skills Training Program

The City of Saskatoon Engineering Works Branchemploys 327 employees at their four differentlocation sites. The Works Branch is a publiccorporation that was established in the early 1900's

and is represented by CUPE Local Union #859.

The Workers' Education for Skills TrainingProgram was implemented in 1993, through acollaborated effort between the City of SaskatoonHuman Resources Department, CUPE Local#859 and the Saskatchewan Federation ofLabour's WEST Program. It is a programspecifically designed to meet the training needs ofthe Works Branch.

The majority of employees are labourers andequipment operators holding positions such astruck drivers and grader and backhoe operators.Fifteen percent of the staff are classified as technicalsupport, with even less staff classified asmanagement and professional personnel. All of thework force is employed full-time withapproximately 60 labourers working seasonally.Ninety-eight percent of the workforce is maie, withthe average age range being between 35 and 45.The ethnic background of the work force ispredominantly Caucasian and Native.

The skills needed to perform the work requiredby the City of Saskatoon Engineering WorksBranch include: reading, writing and math skills,communication skills, co-operative team work,problem solving skills and technical skills. Thereis also importance placed on equipment operatingskills.

The majority of workers tendto have difficulty with technicalskills,fillowdby communication

skills, reading, writing, problem

solving and team work skills.

At the work site, supervisors use quality standardsand formal evaluations to measure theperformance of individual workers. Over the pastfive years there has been a trend in increasedproductivity and performance due to the skill levelof the workers, the various types of trainingprograms and performance management. Due todiminishing resources and other interrelatedfactors, one of the significant changes foreseen forthe Engineering Works Branch is a reduction inthe size of their workforce. This downsizing willlikely occur through attrition.

Jobs are usually filled internally, as the companyhas a pool of skilled workers ready foradvancement. The company gives priority to theseemployees when hiring above entry level positions.Unfortunately, there are some employees whoseskills are too low to make them promotable.

The company policy is more generous than averagein regards to sick leave and about average in regardsto vacation leave. Absenteeism has been one areathat company policy has attempted to address. The

20

Branch offers on-the-job training, tuitionassistance, paid release time for off-site trainingand education and in-house seminars. This kindof training and education culture has beenconstant over the last few years. Wages at theEngineering Works Branch are higher than similaremployees in the area and the surrounding labourmarket. They also offer a competitive fringe benefitpackage that includes: health, life and disabilityinsurance, pensions and tuition reimbursement.

For all employees in the Branch the basic skillsand qualifications required are reading, writingand math skills, technical skills andcommunication skills. Problem solving skills werealso mentioned as being specific to certain labourjobs and certain management jobs.

Several human resource issuesemerging within the Branchare currently receivingattention. Some of theseinvolve employee morale,worker-management relationsand the recruitment and hiringof qualified workers.

The specific skill areas of the workers are alsobelieved to be of concern. These areas includesuch abilities as reading, writing, solvingmathematical problems, orally communicatingand solving work-related problems. Lack ofpromotional opportunities from within,absenteeism, lateness, labour costs, as well ascustomer relations, were also mentioned as humanresource issues. The shortage of technical skillsamong the employees has been attributed to therecent introduction of new technology. In thisparticular work environment the organization hasresponded to this gap by expanding their trainingprograms and utilizing subcontractors.

The City of Saskatoon Engineering Works Branchhas been operating the program for two years. Itis a job integrated program that has beencustomized to meet the needs of the Branch. Fromthe management's point of view, the goal of theprogram is to improve customer relations, reduceerrors, as well as transform it's work organization.Having these goals means that more effort towardspromotion from within the company mustbecome a priority. There is also a general feelingacross the Branch that this kind of trainingpromotes employee loyalty and reduces turnover.From the employees point of view, the goals ofthe program are self improvement ones likelearning the basic skills of reading and writing andup-grading to a grade 12.

A standing committee is responsible foradministering the program and is made up of a

top management representative,a human resource manager, aprogram co-ordinator and aunion representative. Theprogram is jointly administered by both union andmanagement. It is delivered from inside the firmand counselling support services are offered underthe auspices of the Employee & Family AssistanceProgram.

men between the ages of 30 to63 and predominantlyCaucasian. A significantproportion of the participants

possess native languages other than English. Theireducational backgrounds range from some highschool to Grade 8 or less.

. SerVices.and.Training DeliveT6A :

There are a variety of teaching methods utilizedin the program. Self-paced workbooks provide theparticipants with the independence to work attheir own pace. This is all done wit hin a grouporiented environment.

Reading and writing are theprimary subjects taught in theprogram.

The classes meet twice a week, at the worksite, for2 hours, either during the day or after work, on afairly flexible schedule. The course is

approximately 12 weeks long and the participantsmeet on both employer and employee time.Participation in the program is voluntary. Eachseason one or two sessions are offered.

Over the two years of operation, learners have beenlabourers or equipment operators. Typically, thereare 4-5 people in a group. The participants are

Decision Making About The Program

The introduction of newcertification requirements,technological changes and thecompany's decision to transform

the work organization played akey role in the decision toimplement theprogram.

As well, efforts from the Saskatchewan Federationof Labour and CUPE #859 to move the idea intothe implementation stage were noteworthy.Workers also identified the need for training andalthough there was some initial resistance frommanagement, the initiative of an internal volunteerworker to do the training was a catalyst. Thefunding is shared between the Branch, the unionand the employees.

One of the priorities of the standing committeewas to identify the learning needs of the workers.Therefore the input of employees was solicited

2 2

A

during the developmental stages of the programThis same group continues to be involved in thedelivery of the program through the use ofprogram surveys and employee evaluations.During the program's inception the instructortalked to management, the supervisors and theemployees about their individual goals and whatthey wanted to see in such an initiative. Workplaceneeds assessments are conducted by WESTProgram Co-ordinators and the informationgathered in these interviews is not shared withmanagement personnel or human resources.

All of the employees enrolled in the training viewthe program as a voluntnry fringe benefit. Theysee the chance to learn as value added to their jobsand their personal lives. Some believe that thistype of training may lead to advancement.

Since the program is relatively new, impacts aresomewhat more difficult to measure. It's for thisreason that the comments made in this sectionmay more accurately reflect initial outcomes thanresults from sustained experience. The completionrate of the program is roughly 80%, with thecriteria being the demonstration of task masteryin the instructed subjects and the completion ofrequired hours of class attendance.

In the following paragraphs a summation of therespondents various satisfactions with the programwill further elaborate on this idea of impact. Thehuman resource manager of the Branch believed

that the program is fulfilling it's goals and issatisfied with both the program co-ordinator andthe instructor. The content, participant learninggains, teaching methods and the logistics were alsomentioned as successful aspects of the program.The union representative also expressedsatisfaction with all aspects of the program. Boththe instructor and program co-ordinator felt thatother program impacts were related to theparticipatory nature of the process as well as thefact that the work environment had been positivelychanged as the employees completed theirtraining. Most of the workers mentioned that theyenjoyed being involved in the decision makingprotess and would like to see this continue.

Some of the specific areas ofprogram impact that wereconsistently mentioned by allthe stakeholders included: theability of the workers L, read,communicate and problemsolve, morale, quality ofworkerinteraction and the ability ofthe workers to work independently.

Other work-related areas that had seen som.e kindof improvement were: error rates, worker safetyand the ability to use new technologies. Lastly,the potential for advancement was noted as aprogram impact. Overall, interviewees agreed thatthe program had a significant impact on theorganization and that all of the participants hopedfor the expansion of the program.

5arriers to I.mplementatiOn

There were many good reasons that led theEngineering Works Branch to implement theprogram and very few barriers that theyencountered along the way. As previouslymentioned, the introduction of new technologyand certificate requirements were the key factorsin deciding to get started.

Although management hadsuspected the need for theprogram, they were not surehow to address the problem orwhat the specific needs of theiremployees were.

As one respondent noted, "There arc very fewresources that exist for employers interested inimplementing workplace education programs".

Management also questioned whether they hadthe infrastructure to adequately address theproblem of workplace literacy. Early discussionsfocused on how many workers would be allowedto participate, due to both cost and the feasibilityof allowing workers to leave their shifts. As well,there was some question by management as to theappropriateness of paying employees for 50% ofthe time they spent in class and whether there reallywas the "need" for basic skills training. At theoutset of the program, location of the classroom'was unsuitable, as it infringed uponconfidentiality. However, this problem wasquickly resolved, as it was decided to move theclassroom to a more convenient and private site.

2 4

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IL- Ai

Policy Influences

The practical nature of the program coupled withthe actual success rate are two examples of issuesthat would influence the company to expand theprogram. The manager believes that the companywould be more likely to expand a workplaceeducation program if the course work continuedto be job integrated and if thnre was evidenceindicating that the basic skills training pays foritself. Local forums or networks making accessiblethe contributions of other similar programs wouldsignificantly influence the Branch to expand itsdelivery. Job task profiles which are developed byemployer organizations to certify that workers havethe basic skills to work in the industry would alsoinfluence the company's decision to train workerswith low competencies in order to achieve thelevels needed for certification.

Technical assistance provided by employeeassociations, or the services of a local communitycollese, school, or other agency offering to providea basics skills program would also positivelyinfluence the Branch to expand its delivery.

The Works Branch interest to expand would alsobe affected by a variety of different financialfactors. For example, an employer sponsored

training and education consortium woulddefinitely have an impact on their decision. Beingasked to provide paid release time for employeesto take part in a program funded outside the firm,or being in receipt of a federal tax credit, oroffsetting the cost of training by up to 2% of thecompany's contribution to the unemploymentinsurance fund, would all be influential factors. Aiarger U.I. reduction would have an even greaterinfluence. Participants renegotiating their benefitpackage to trade off the cost of the program forspending on other fringe benefits or employeesagreeing to contribute a percentage of their salary,along with the confirmation that they wouldremain long enough to recoup the investmentwould also strongly inflvence the company'sdecision to expand the program.

'Innovative Features of the. Prograth

There are many features that make this programinnovative.

The whole idea aroundworkers training workers, theco-operation from union andmanagement and the sense ofconfidentiality in all programelements were the features most

frequently mentioned by alllevels of employees.

25

The capability and commitment of the courseleader and the voluntary, "learner-centred" focuswere also mentioned as being highly successfulcomponents of the program.

The positive promotion of the program, alongwith the co-operation and support of all levels ofstaff contributed towards the participants feelingsof"ownership" of the program. They felt that therewas no imposed agenda or testing andexaminations required from management. Thesefeatures collectively, created an environmentconducive to learning at the workplace.

1%

Advice was solicited from all of the participantsin the program and can be sumn.,arized as follows:

set up a joint union/management committeeto discuss and review workplace literacy needsand education.

involve local unions as part of theimplementation process as members may bemore likely to come forward.

confidentiality.

ensure that all management personnel are "onside" in implementing a workplace program.

set up a committee to monitor the programwith regard to scheduling problems, logisticsand evaluation.

do not assume that the employees identified ascandidates will come forward.

do not coerce employees into participating ina workplace literacy program.

26

The CalgaryHerald

A Workplace LearningCentre

27

PROFILE

The Calgary HeraldA Workplace Learning Centre

T h eCalgary

Herald,established in 1883,

is a member of one of Canada's largest newspaper

groups, Southam Incorporated. Shifts at the

Herald run continuously - 24 hours a day, seven

days a week.

Significant downsizing, an increase in the yearly

turnover rate and improving employee skills were

important issues to the company. Therefore, after

careful consideration, a needs analysis wasimplemented by ABC Canada in 1992 and the

Learning Centre at the Herald was introduced.

The needs assessment indicated a need for basic

skills training in the areas of written and oral

communication, GED preparation, plain writing,

English as a second language and computer skills.

These skills were taught through methods such as

self-paced workbooks, computer-based work and

interactive group methods. They also utilized

individual tutors, a mentoring program and audio-

visual tapes. The Learning Centre is accessible 24

hours a day for the employees to studyindependently and an instructor is available days

or evenings, for two or three hours, depending on

employee needs.

A strong sense of corporate leadership, pressures

from customers and corpotate buyers to improve

their product and the workers' identification of a

need for basic skills training we: e key issues in the

newspaper's decision to implement theirworkplace education program. The impact of the

program has enhanced the ability to produce both

a quality product and a quality service. This was a

particular challenge because of the need tocontinually adapt to the changing needs of the

organization and its culture.

During the implementation process, the company

had to address not only some of the logistical

problems such as costs, location, delays and the

use of more than one consultant, but also some

apprehensions about what to expect in launching

such an initiative. The company's flexibility and

strong commitment to the program were just two

of the many innovative features of thc program.

These two factors contributed to an environment

that supported life-long learning within a flexible,

self-paced learning facility, with supportive

management and quality instructors.

222 8

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1

1.

The Calgary HeraldA Workplace Learning Centre

°nippy. Bac ,giot!nd.

The Calgary Herald, established in 1883, is amember of one of Canada's largest newspapergroups, Southam Incorporated. Southamrepresents approximately 28% of the totalnewspaper circulation in Canada today. TheHerald employs 553 employees full time and 139additional full time equivalents. Shifts run 24hours per day, 7 days a week. The company is apublic corporation, represented by GraphicCommunications International Union, Local34C.

Major customers of the newspaper include bothlarge and small manufacturers, wholesalers,retailers and individual citizens. The market is bothlocal and provincial with one major newspaper asa competitor. The majority of employees areproduction people, supervisors, editorialemployees, foremen/women, sales and service andtechnical people. The average age of the workforceis 40, with more than halfof their employees beingmale.

Anticipated changes in thecompany over the next five years

will probably focus on theexpansion in the dze ofthe markets,

workforce restructuring andincreasing the profits.

Hu man Resou rces 'Policy

The average length of service for employees at theCalgary Herald is approximately 13 years. Over100 workers, mostly clerical staff, left last year.Some took a voluntary package. This type of yearlyturnover rate has significantly increased over thepast five years. There has also been significantdownsizing with production workers being thehardest hit.

Jobs above entry level are usually filled internally,however, the company does not have a policywhich defines the career ladder within theorganization. Although they do have a pool ofskilled workers ready for advancement, trainingoften follows promotions. Unfortunately, thecompany has some employees whose skill levelsare too low to make them promotable.

The Herald has a more generous than averagepolicy regarding sick leave and vacation pay. Theirwages are higher than similiar employers in thearea and in the local market. The company offerson the job training, tuition assistance, paid releasetime for off-site training or education and in-houseseminars. As well, there is an extensive range offringe benefits, such as health, life and disabilityinsurance, pi ofit sharing (share purchasc program),pensions, parental leave, tuition reimbursementand a bonus plan based on profits.

2 9

With the recent introduction to new technologyover the past five years, the Herald has increasedthe type of training programs and the number ofsub-contractors. They have attempted to measurelabour productivity, or performance by estimatinglabour costs, wastage and error rates. Over thissame time period, the trend in productivity hasincreased due to the recruitment of better workersand cooperation between labour managementrelations.

Aacommunication skills, team work and effectiveproblem solving skills.

.

Program De:script ion

The Learning Centre at the Herald was set-upfollowing a needs analysis carried out by ABCCanada in 1992.

Perceptions of the most serious human resourceissues at the Calgary Herald vary.

At one end of the spectrumissues such as labour costs, waste

of material and lack ofopportunities for promotion are

considered serious.

At the other end, there is a perception that lack ofbasic employee skills like reading, writing andmath skills are problem areas.

The needs survey identified aneed for basic skills training inthe areas of written and oralcommunications, GEDpreparation, plain writing,English as a second languageand computer skills.

The Herald, at this particular time, was goingthrough a period of rapid change and wanted theprograms offered in their workplace to respondto those changes.

The basic skills reported by employees as necessaryfor their day-to-day work included: reading,writing and math skills, technical skills,

The service provider, Alberta Vocational College,is 32 years old and has been involved in workplaceeducation efforts for the past 10 years. They haveserved 6 firms to date and although the firms oftencontact them, they have had to spend more timetrying to market their services. The workplaceprogram at The Calgary Herald has been inoperation for two years. It is administered by theDirector of Human Resources, the StaffDevelopment Co-ordinator and a liaison person

3 0

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I

who works between the program participants andthe program administrator.

The Calgary Herald's commitment to workplaceeducation programs is reflected in their tuitionreimbursement plan and the fact that they do notview the program as a "fringe benefit." They alsooffer support services such as tutoring, counsellingand child care services. Wages, however, are notraised after training is completed.

There are a variety of teaching methods used inthe program. Self-paced workbooks, computerbased work and interactive group methods are justa few examples of the types of teaching methodspreferred by the learners. There are also individualtutors, a mentoring program, audio and videotapes and access to a private library.

Classes meet Monday through to Thursday,depending on employee needs. The instructor isavailable days or evenings, for 2-4 hours, 5 timesa week, on both company and employee time. The

Learning Centre is accessible 24 hours a days foremployees to study independently. It is unknownwhich occupations are currently represented byprogram participants, due to the fact that allparticipants are guaranteed confidentiality. Thecourses vary in length and are voluntary.

In the first year of the program, 116 peopleparticipated. There are usually 5-10 people in eachseminar all with various educational backgrounds.Most trainees are in individual self-pacedprograms, so class time can vary from 15 minutesto rwo hours. Most of the participants have somehigh school background or a grade 12 diploma.Because of confidentiality, statistics are not kepton learner characteristics such as age, nativelanguage, sex or ethnic background. The cost ofthe program is approximately $33,000.00 a yearor $300.00 per panicipant, per year.

Decision-Making About the Vrograrn,::.

The Calgary Herald is a community leader with astrong sense of corporate and communityleadership.

1Pressures from customers andcorporate buyers for qualityimprovement played a key rolein its decision to implement theprogram.

31

It also believed that with a program in place newcustomers would be attracted to its products. Inaddition, the workers identified a need for basictraining and proceeded to negotiate it with theunion.

Changes in production methods, increasedcompetition, the introduction of new technology,the need to reduce errors, waste and scrappage andthe decision to transform the organintion wereall important factors contributing to the decisionto implement the program.

Some members of the program administrationcommittee identified the training needs of theworkplace as a first priority. They believed thatentry level workers at the company needed basicskills training since schools had failed to teach theseskills.

Collectively the management, the supervisors, theunion and the employees all argued in favour ofthe program, with their only concern being the

"cost". Input into the decision making process anddesign of the program was participatory with bothemployees and supervisors taking ownership. Thegoals for the program were discussed amongmanagement, supervisors and employees.

Tiogram Impacts

The Calgary Herald has tried to measure thereturns of the program by conducting formalevaluations. This has been done through surveysfocusing on the teaching of the program. Nostatistics are available at this time which describethe completion rate of the program.

Many program participants have voiced theiropinions concerning the impact of the program.The manager, for example, was satisfied with thedelivery, the content and the teaching methods,but was uncertain about the participant learninggains and the workplace impacts.

The supervisor who was instrumental in learnerrecruitment believed that the participants werelearning technical skills, reading, writing and mathskills and communication skills.

Employees commitment toattend the program and their

cooperative-team work back on

the floor were signals thatparticiiwpts were satisfied.

The supervisor, who had participated in all aspectsof the program design felt that the wholeworkplace initiative had been able to adapt to theconstantly changing needs of the organization.

'Barriers to Implementation

One of the problems encountered during theimplementation process was that more than oneconsultant was used to launch the program. Costs,location, unexpected delays and other start-updifficulties also had to be addressed. Althoughthe Herald had no experience in designing andimplementing such a program, participants feel itis a success. Concerns over resistant workers andintegrating basic skills training with other trainingwere all problems that were worked through.

Both the co-ordinator and the instructorcorroborated that the ability of the workers tocommunicate, compute and use new technologieswere positive program impacts. They also notedthat company loyalty, quality of worker interactionand customer satisfaction had significantlyincreased. Both were satisfied with the participantlearning gains and teaching methods, but hadsome reservations about recruitment andparticipation for all employees.

Additional barriers mentioned by otherstakeholders fell under the category of companyapprehension.

The employees themselves indicated that theirability to use machinery, perform technical tasksand communicate with other workers, had beenpositively impacted. They also indicated that theirability to ask questions and work independentlyhad improved as were their abilities to read,communicate and problem solve. Overall, theyconcluded that time savings had been positivelychanged and that they felt a stronger sense ofcompany loyalty. They indicated that all of theseareas collectively enhanced the ability to produceboth a quality product and a quality service.

Because the program was so

novel, no one knew what toexpect or what the actual needsof the company were.

Other impediments were costs, particularly inrelease time and the perception that there wouldbe a high turnover rates in some categories ofworkers.

At the outset of the planning phase the employeesweren't quite sure what they would be getting outof the program, whether it would be effective andwhether the program was actually needed. Theseconcerns were altered as the program got off theground. Cost was, once again, mentioned as a

33

.4 111.11111111111P.

barrier to implementation bythe employees and the unionrepresentative. Unexpected delays and thedifficulty in enrolling the first students were alsobarriers that took a long time to iron out.

There are a multitude of factors that wouldinfluence the company to expand the program.For example, the company would be more likelyto expand if the content was more job integrated.Establishing local forums or networks allowing thecompany to talk with other employers about thecontributions and challenges their programs havehad, or the development of tests to certify thatworkers have the necessary skills to work in thearea would also influence the company's decisionto expand.

Several cost related factors would also influencethe company's decision, such as the provision of afederal tax credit, or offsetting the costs of trainingby up to 2% of the company's contribution toUnemployment Insurance Coverage. A moresubstantial U.I.C. reduction would have an evengreater influence on the decision making process.Renegotiating their benefit package to trade offthe cost ofsuch a program would also have a stronginfluence. If employees agreed to contribute apercentage of their wages to a workplace trainingfund, or grants were made available, these typesof financial subsidizing would also influence thecompany to expand the program.

-IninOvadve Peatut'es.of the:Proorram

There are many innovative features of the CalgaryHerald program.

Flexibility and commitmentfrom senior management indeveloping a culture thatsupported continuous learningwas key to its success.

It is very important that the corporate culturesupport lifelong learning, as was the case in thisprogram. Creating an environment that doesn'tpunish risk takers, allowing employees to attendseminars and designating funds for training alsoare innovative features of the workplace educationprogram. The corporation must be willing to makevery difficult choices to ensure that fundingremains, even in periods of downsizing or lay-offs.

It is also important that a program be flexible; withadaptable hours, delivered on site, in a comfortableenvironment with up-to-date technology.Running educational programs in a workplacedemands a fair degree of flexibility. The operationhours of the learning centre must be flexible, theinstructors must be flexible and the partnershipbetween the company and the program need tobe flexible. In this case, the program was facilitatedby relaxed, approachable instructors and is freeto participants.

3 4

The quality of the teaching staff, learning resourcesand the practice manuals were also mentioned askey features of the program. Identifying the needsof all of the employees and then allowing openaccess to the learning facility so that they can takeadvantage of the resources was also an importantfactor in the success of the program.

Flexibility, variety29, self-paced learning,delivered by approachable instructors with qualityresources - along with supportive management,committed to a strong partnership are the mostcrucial components of a workplace program.

Advice to Others Plannino- a SimdarProgFam

The Calgary Herald has shown itself to becommitted to supporting and promoting theirlearning program as a part of a larger vision.., ofbeing a "learning organization". The valuableadvise that they offer to others who are just startingup a program can be summarized, as follows:

show the leaders in your organization thefinancial benefits.

provide an organizational needs assessment todetermine the appropriate training needs.

allow all levels of the organization theopportunity to participate in a flexible self-paced program.

develop an organizational culture thatpromotes lifelong learning.

secure unwavering support from seniormanagement who will commit to an ongoingbudget.

solicit an internal champion to own theprogram, with a multi-level team to functionas a steering/advisory committee.

seek out a learning centre model withinstructional assistance.

tie learning cenge activities and courses tohuman resource development and theemployee appraisal process.

hire instructors who possess a multitude ofskills and attitudes.

use the collected experience of others to planand deliver a program that incorporatesaccepted standards of good practice.

35

Northwoodcare,A Halifax

Nursing CareFacility

Workplace EducationProgram

3036

n.

PROFILE

Northwoodcare, A Halifax Nursing Care FacilityWorkplace Education Program

Northwoodcare,a nursing care

facility in Halifax,Nova Scotia, is a non-profit, community-basedorganization which created a workplace educationprogram to upgrade the educational needs of staff.The program, which was pioneered over four yearsago, is considered to be a unique and importantstaff education venture by all employees.

Reading, writing and math activities, English as asecond language, GED preparation and some lifeskills were taught in the program. Classes met fortwo hours, once or twice a week and usually ranfor approximately four to six months at the worksite on both company and employee time.

Department of Education instructors andvolunteer tutors assisted in the delivery of theprogram. It was a program founded, operated,funded and supported through a cooperative effortof staff, management, labour and government. Alltypes of employees, supervisors, unionrepresentatives and managers worked together tomake the program work. It was considered bythe different stakeholders to be a great success.Not only did the program impact individual

trainee reading scores, but human resource issuessuch as worker interaction, problem solving,absenteeism and lateness were significantlyimproved.

Some of the challenges encountered during theimplementation of the workplace educationprogram were those common to most companieswhen pioneering a new initiative. Thisorganization was flexible and strengthened theirexisting infrastructure in order to resolve logisticaldifficulties while employees participated in theprogram. Sustaining funding was the majorhinderance confronting Northwoodcare's basicskills program. This funding issue continues tobe the most significant consideration in thecompany's decision to expand the service.

One of the many innovative features of theprogram was the co-operation of all the majorstakeholders. Caring, committed instructors andprogram coordinators along with the customizedlevels of instruction were features unique t3 thistraining program at Northwoodcare. A powerfulimpact as a result of the program was increasedemployee self-confidence and belief in themselves.

The program participants offer practical ae vice toothers interested in initiating a workplaceeducation program. This advice consists of:devoting time and effort to recruiting participants,securing support from those involved in theprogram, recognizing the participants' significantachievements and documenting th ... impact thatspecific workplace training has on the employeesand employers.

31

37

Northwoodcare, A Halifax Nursing Care FacilityWorkplace Education Program

Approximately 800 people work atNorthwoodcare, a nursing care facility in Halifax,Nova Scotia. Northwoodcare, established in 1962,is considered to be serving a niche market becauseits services are unique to the area and because itssize is at least triple that of its nearest competitor.A board of governors consisting of communitymembers runs this non-profit, community basedorganization. This publicly funded company hasbeen represented by the Canadian AutoworkersUnion for less than a year. The previous unionbegan in the dietary section, spread tohousekeeping, maintenance and nursing and hadrepresented Northwoodcare for approximately tenyears.

The majority of employees at Northwoodcare arelabourers, with fewer clerical, management andprofessional staff. A small proportion of all theseemployees are employed part-time or seasonally.

Although 80% ofthe employeesare firi ale, the top managersare all male.

The average age of the workforce is between 35-40. A small proportion, 5-10%, do not speakEnglish as their first language. The largestpercentage of employees are Caucasian, followedby a small percentage of African Canadians andNatives, as well as, other ethnic backgrounds.

Reading dietary information, improving workrelated problem solving skills and developing moreindependent thinking were the skills workersneeded to develop further. As well, tight schedulesand changing supervision on rotating shifts werecreating a higher dependency on the currentsupervisory staff and on the need to read andinterpret the dietary flow charts and schedules.Work at Northwoodcare had been organized insuch a manner to accommodate the present levelof employee skills.

Turnover rate is extremely low at Northwoodcare.One of the key reasons for this is because of thehigh rate of pay for unskilled labour, (nine dollarsper hour). Therefore, many part-time employeeswho work elsewhere or university students keeptheir job at Northwoodcare. The labour force isfairly stable boasting a turnover rate of between0-10%. In general, sales are continui to growand the market is expanding. This, in turn, hascreated the need for expanding a variety of trainingprograms.

The yearly turnover rate, although relatively low,has increased over the past few years and there hasbeen a trend in downsizing. For example,approximately 110 workers left last year - 100 ofthem labourers. Eight workers were laid off, 5 inmanagement and three in clerical support.

On occasion the company fills jobs internally, butdoes not give priority to current employees whenhiring above entry level positions.

38

NIura§11111Y;wAEIRIIV411WAVAIIMr4MIN1111111

They do not have a policy which defines a careerladder within the organization, or have a pool ofskilled workers ready for advancement.

Training often followspromotion, however, thecompany does have someemployees whose skills are toolow to make them promotable.

Management, clerical support, professional andproduction people, technical staff and labourersall require the same skills for promotion atNorthwoodcare. These include: technical skills,reading, writing and math skills, communicationskills, individual motivation, co-operative teamwork and problem solving skills.

The most important incentive for setting up theworkplace program was a "community charity"type of incentive. A few forward thinking peopleat Northwoodcare simply wanted some of theirstaff members to have an opportunity to improvetheir education levels.

With some success the company has attempted toaddress these issues through the use of short termtraining programs, temporary agencies, qualitycircles, new technology and the recruitment ofmore highly skilled workers. They have also hiredworkers through government training programssuch as Canada Jobs Strategy and the African-Canadian Employment Centre.

The company offers a more generous than averagepolicy regarding sick leave and vacation pay, aswell as providing on-the-job training assistance,paid release time for off-site training or educationand in-house seminars. The company also offershealth, life and disability insurance, pensions andparental leave.

Program Description

The workplace education program atNorthwoodcare had been in place for four years.It was administered by a training co-ordinator,along with a standing committee comprised of topmanagement, an outside consultant, unionrepresentatives, employee representatives andprogram participants. There was also a person wholiaised between the program participants and theprogram administrator. The services weredelivered by an outside education consultant whoused employee volunteers and volunteers who didnot work for the firm.

Although wages were not increased after any typeof training was completed, the participants in theworkplace education program had access totutoring, counselling and a tuition reimbursementplan. The program was not seen as a fringe benefit,but "as a unique and important staff educationventure)) .

39

Seirices ;Ind .Training.Delive.red

There were many different methods of teachingutilized in the basic skills program atNorthwoodcare.

Group and individual reading,writing and math activitieswere the main methods used.

English as a second language, GED preparationand some life skills were also taught in theprogram.

Labourers were the group which mainlyparticipated in the program. They met duringwork or after work for two hours, once or twice aweek. The voluntary course was 4-6 months longand took place at the work site on both companyand employee time.

Thirty-six people participated in last year'sprogram. Typically, there were approximately 3-10 people in each class with a slightly higherproportion of female participants. The age rangeof participants was between 21 to 65. Eight percentof these participants spoke native languages otherthan English. Several participants had some highschool, others had grade eight or less.

All release time was sponsored by workers, eitherdoing work more quickly, or by working "shorthanded". Department of Education instrUctorsand tutors volunteered their services while oneinstructor who was hired through a provincialgrant, to teach two programs, was paid about$9,000.00.

.Dectston Maki.n.About the Prognm

The Northwoodcare program was a programestablished, operated, funded and supportedthrough a cooperative effort of staff, management,labour and government. Differences of opinionover the design of the program, costs, location andunexpected delays were all mentioned as problemsduring the implementation process.

The company felt that they could have spent moretime in the planning stage of the program byidentifying the training needs of the workplaceand workers, finding the instructor, designing thecurriculum, recruiting participants and finallysecuring funds to support the program.

The decision to transform thework organization was a keyfactor in the firms decision toimplement the program.

.11GMED

With the introduction of new technology andincreased health and safety practiccs, thc need fortraining became more apparent. However, the

4 0

most important factor in the decision to set upthe program was management's feeling thatproviding needy stacfwith education was simplya good thing to do for employees.

All of the employees at Northwoodcare argued infavour of the program. However, some supervisorsdid question how the program was going to impacton their day-to-day scheduling. Cost was anotherargument made against the program, however thefirm was able to find outside public funding forstart-up costs and also to share the operating costs.

Overall, input from the organizing group wassolicited when the program was first developedand both supervisors and employees were giventhe opportunity to discuss their goals for theprogram. A project team consisting of workers,supervisors, union representatives and Departmentof Education personnel all worked co-operativelyto facilitate a fair and equal decision makingprocess at Northwoodcare.

Over the last year Northwoodcare tried to measurethe returns of the program by having theparticipants take part in surveys and evaluations.The completion rate of the program wasapproximately 86%. The criteria was defined asthe completion of required classroom hours.

Pre and post tests were used tomeasure the educational gainsof many of the programparticipants and in all cases thetest scores increased. Everyone

interviewed agreed that theprogram at Northwoodcare wasa great success.

The top manager of the company believed thatthe program was fulfilling its goals and was verysatisfied with the delivery agency and the programinstructors. The supervisor believed that theworkers were also very satisfied with the program.She observed increased learning gains among heremployees and would like to see additional trainingof this nature in the workplace. She also thoughtthat because of the impact the program had onthe company in terms of loyalty, morale, qualityof worker interaction, higher supervisor ratingsand customer satisfaction, that the program waswell worth its cost to the company and should beexpanded.

The instructor and education specialist also notedsignificant program impacts. These bcludedquality of worker interaction and team work,company loyalty and stronger communicationskills. Both were satisfied with the content of theprogram, the employee participation rate and thelogistics. The union representative and employeeswho participated in the program both felt that the

4 1

i0*#4,,o

increased ability of the workers to read and tocommunicate was a significant impact. Theemployees also bclieved that their ability to workindependently had significantly changed. Allparticipants corroborated that the program hadpositively changed the worker's ability to problemsolve and noted some d-:sired changes inabsenteeism and lateness, morale and quality ofworker interaction. The employees alsomentioned the personal satisfaction that theyexperienced participating in the program and thatthings such as their confidence, self-esteem, familylife and satisfaction with the company had allimproved.

':Oairiers to-Implementation

Although the trainees spoke favourably about theprogram content, levels of assessment, teachingmethods and the teachers, difficulties wereencountered and resolved during theimplementation process.

According to the educationspecialist some of the earlyproblems were due to thecompany not yet knowing"how

to" design a program.

Connected to this was the lack of awareness inconducting a needs assessment and not knowingexactly what they would get from basic skills

training. As well, the company did not have theinfrastructure to carry out the training programand had other priorities that demanded a lot oftime. It was felt that these barriers might beinitially experienced when any company developsits first basic skills program.

The education specialist added that costs, location,differences of opinion on the design of theprogram and unexpected delays were all problemsthat were resolved before the first classes began.

Sustainable funding was the major obstacle facingNorthwoodcare's basic skills program. It was statedthat most other potential policy influences wouldhave little or no influence on the decision toexpand the workplace education program. Forexample, if a community college, school or otheragency offered to design, implement and providea program at no cost, this would strongly influencetheir decision to expand the program. If grantswere available to reduce the firm's out of pocketcosts, this too would strongly influence thedecision to expand the program.

The top manager who was interviewed indicatedthat if the government would provide more thanjust "seed money", cost sharing beyond the startup, or tax breaks, Northwoodcare would be morelikely to expand the program. Another managerexplained that programs of this type usually showsome long term significant impacts on theworkplace in the form of improved skills,improved self-esteem and therefore increased

4 2

productivity. If these impacts can be betterdocumented over a few years then a companywould more likely sustain such a training program.Funding for the program remains the mostsignificant factor in the company's decision toexpand it.

Innovmivc Feattire.of.the Proigpth-

There are a variety of features which made theNorthwoodcare program innovative. It was aprogram established, operated, funded andsupported through a co-operative effort of staff,management, labour and government.

Employees helped each other on the job so theycould attend classes which helped the groupsbecome closely knit and mutually supportive.

The program became anexciting venture for everyone

always a topic ofconversation and alwaysassociated with feelings ofgoodmorale.

The people on the project team who were involvedwith the program were committed a 100% tomaking it a success.

Another feature of innovativeness was thepersonalities of the instructors and program co-ordinator. They cared for the workers and workedhard to make the program a success. As a result,the employees came to believe in themselves andtheir own abilities. Coupled with this was the factthat employees were dedicated to their classresponsibilities and supervisors were dedicated toassisting their employees with scheduling issuesand other such tasks. The comfortable pace,matched time and flexibility were other featuresthat made the program unique.

Different leve s of instruction also made theprogram inclusive and welcoming to allparticipants. There were three levels of instruction:level 1 (one-to-one tutoring), level 2 (intermediate)and level 3 (GED preparation). Often classroomtutors were actually drawn from the moreadvanced level of instruction. Thk type ofteaching interaction positively affected workrelationships back on the shop floor. A co-operative project that was organized with all levelsof participants was a company publication.

4 3.

Another feature of innovativeness was the spin offeffect that the program had on the employees'personal lives. These were such things as "nolonger feeling stupid", or being able to "help theirchildren reading their homework", or "feelingconfident in their ability to work independently"and "believing in themselves".

Adviee. ta, ,0thers Tian ni.

. .

Prb.gram

Northwoodcare offers the following advice tothose interested in implementing a workplaceeducation program:

establish a committee at the beginning withgoals and ways of evaluating its goals.

find out "how to" get people to participate

get upper and middle management to supportthe program from the very first step.

provide a stable, permanent space for classes.

participants who complete the program mustbe publicly recognized for their achievements.

community resources and expertise must betapped into such as the Literacy Section of theprovincial government.

consult with other companies who have hadprograms.

offer the program to ALL employees.

specific workplace related information andactivities should be included in some coursesfor some employees.

the "impact" of the specific work placetraining should be documented.

4 4

Newfoundlandand Labrador

Hydro

Learning Initiatives for

Tomorrow

39 45

PROFILE

Newfoundland and Labrador HydroLearning Initiatives for Tomorrow

Establishedin 1954,

Newfoundlandand Labrador Hydro

employ approximately 1000 full-time employeesat thirteen major locations, thirty-eight dieselplants and line maintenance depots. This HydroGroup of Companies is the fourth largest utilityof installed generating capacity in Canada.

Before the workplace program was implemented,information was gathered from 112 employees atsix company sites to determine the company'sspecific basic skills training needs, along withrecommended strategies for implementation. Asa pilot project, two work sites were chosen forparticipation in the initiative. A regional sub-committee of two management and two unionmembers administer the program at each of thetwo sites. Due to the variety of services offered atthe two different locations, a full-time managermonitors the program. The training programs areprimarily delivered by volunteer employee tutors,although a part-time, paid tutor is at each site.

There are several different types of teachingmethods utilized by the tutors in the basic skillsprogram. Self-paced workbooks, computer-basedwork and distance education are all used to

strengthen the participant's reading, writing,math, communication and high schoolequivalency upgrading. Classes meet around theemployee's work schedule and center on specificworker needs.

The impact of the program has been unanimouslydescribed by all participants as being satisfactory.Reading, writing, computing and problem-solvingwere the skills most frequently expressed as havingthe most impact back on the job. Time savings,error rates, improved worker safety, quality ofoutput and the ability to use machinery were alsomentioned as observable impacts. Increasedconfidence, a brighter career picture and a morequality family life were some of the more personalimpacts expressed.

Several different barriers encountered during theimplementation of the program included themismatch between workers' needs and availabletraining, as well as some resistance to the idea ofbasic level training. Costs, the site locations, delaysand difficulty enrolling the first students were alsomentioned as start-up problems.

Worker input was actively encouraged during theimplementation and delivery of an "employeefocused" workplace education program. Thisinnovative approach resulted in training thatresponded to the identified needs of the workersand feelings of ownership of the program.

The advice offered by the participants is to:complete a workplace needs assessment, listen andrespond to employee needs, solicit support, utilizecommunity resources, organize one project site ata time and develop a clear communicationnetwork.

40 46

'1 V

Newfoundland and Labrador HydroLearning Initiatives for Tomorrow

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is the parentcompany of the Hydro Group of Companiescomprising Hydro, Churchill Falls CorporationLimited CF(L)Co, Lower Churchill DevelopmentCorporation Limited, Gull Island PowerCompany Limited and Twin Falls PowerCorporation Limited. By virtue of its controllinginterest in CF(L)Co, Hydro is the fourth largestutility in Canadian terms of installed generatingcapacity.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, establishedin 1954, employs approximately 1000 full-timeemployees at their thirteen major locations, thirty-eight die'sel plants and line maintenance depots.CF(L)Co has a permanent workforce of about 250employees. While Hydro is principally awholesaler of electricity and sells the bulk of itspower to an investor-owned utility and severalindustrial customers, it does sell directly to over3400 customers living in rural Newfoundland andLabrador.

The company workforce canbest be described aspredominantly technical,followed byproduction people,management and supervisory.

The International Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers has been recognized as the bargainingagent since 1983.

At Newfoundland Hydro there are a variety ofskills needed to get the job done. Some of theseinclude technical skills, reading, writing and mathskills, communication skills, teamwork andproblem-solving skills. Hydro was a pioneer indesigning in-house training programs in systemoperation, computer training, co-op programs aswell as safety, health and other seminars toaugment the existing educational system.

In general, wages and benefits are competitivewithin the provincial labour market.

r24.7 421,T11'

P,-,y equity and equalopportunity policies have beenimplemented as well as safety,training and performanceappraisalprograms.

Today, comprehensive benefits provide a highlevel of security and safeguard families againstuncertainty. Together, these have resulted in ahighly qualified and stable workforce.

At Newfoundland Hydro the introduction of newtechnology is one of the many changes facingemployees and the changing work and communityenvironment requires the corporation to providein-house training. The introduction to newtechnology and training and the reorganization

4 7

of work are all strategies being employed toimprove productivity. One such innovativestrategy is a workplace education project whereemployees are given the opportunity to upgradetheir basic skills in writing, math, reading and oralcommunications. This project is titled "LearningInitiatives for Tomorrow (LIFT)".

In April 1993, a workplace needs assessment wasconducted at Newfoundland Hydro as the firststep in creating a customized workplace educationprogram. The program has been in operation forten months. It is administered by an advisorycommittee which consists of two management andthree union representatives. As a pilot project,two work sites were chosen for participation inthe initiatives. At each site, a regional sub-committee of rwo management and two unionmembers administers the program. A full-timeproject manager was retained to assist the regionalsub-committees, conduct individual weedsassessments, select and train local educationalresources and market the program to potentialparticipants. The training programs are primarilydelivered by volunteer employee tutors althougha part-time paid tutor at each site provided trainingin some specific programs.

"Seri-iceS ;ind raining

There are a variety of teaching methods used bythe tutors in the basic skills program. Self-pacedworkbooks, computer based work and distanceeducation are just a few of the methods used todeliver training.

The trainingtakes place in both

group oriented, interactiveclassrooms, as well as on a one-

to-one basis with volunteeremployee tutors.

Reading, writing, math, communications and highschool equivalency qualifications are all taught atthe program. Trainees are from all levels of withinthe organization. Classes meet on various daysaround the work schedule of the employees. Thereis flexibility in the number of classes per week, aswell as the duration of the course,The learnersmeet on bothcompany a ndemployee time, onthe worksite, or at alocal communitycollege, or sometimesin private homes.Due to the variety ofprogram offerings,delivery methods andgeographic locations, a full-time manager monitorsthe program. Participation is on a voluntary basis.

4 8

L

r7!

-0

Thirty-six employees have participated in theprogram since it began with eighty percent of theparticipants being men around 40 years of age.All participants speak English as their first languageand their educational backgrounds vary from somecollege or high school training to 8th grade or less.The National Liseracy Secretariat and theprovincial government were instrumental inproviding demonstration funds for start-up.

Decision gaking at>out the Nogrant...

Costs, location, unexpected delays and other start-up difficulties associated with the "geography" ofthe two pilot sites were all mentioned as difficultiesencountered during the implementation process.

The organization found thatidentifting the training andlearningneeds ofthe workplacegreatly helped in developingthe

program.

There were many significant factors thatcontributed to Hydro's decision to implement theprogram. Some of these factors included: the

demand for increased health and safety practices,changes in the available workforce, theintroduction of new technology, the need toreduce errors, work re-organization and changesin labour-management relations. The availabilityof a public subsidy was also a significant factor inthe decision to implement the workplaceeducation program.

There were arguments made in favour of theprogram by all employees, with increasedproductivity being at the top of the list.Information gathered from 112 employees at sixccmpany sites generated a report outlining a basicskills upgrading program and recommendedstrategies for implementation.

Although the program began as a joint union-company initiative, it has become an employeefocused, self-development project. This changewas a result of participants being empowered tomake decisions about their training needs,methods of instruction and the curriculumccntent. In summary, decision making in theprogram by all participants was continually andactively encouraged.

Although Newfoundland Hydro has not yet triedto measure the returns of the program to thecompany, there are plans to do a thoroughevaluation. The current success rate of the programis connected to the following criteria: learners'evaluation of achieved learning objectives andcompletion of the required hours of class. The

4 9

corporation is planning tointegrate components of theprogram into their regular trainingprocess. The impact of the program hasbeen unanimously described as satisfactory byall of the participants in LIFT.

The top manager believes that the program isfulfilling its goals and expressed satisfaction withthe content, the participants' learning goals,teaching methods, instructors and logistics. Thesupervisor believes that the workers are learningreading, writing, math skills, communication skillsand co-operative team work. He also believes thatthe methods of instruction used in the programare so effective that they should be implementedin other types of company training.

The union representative also mentioned manypositive program impacts including: the ability ofthe workers to read, communicate, compute andproblem solve. He believes that the workers haveincreased their chances for promotion. Teamwork, work effort and the ability to workindependently were also mentioned as programimpacts, although it was stated that manyemployees already possess these attributes.Customer satisfaction was also an area mentioned,along with quality of output and the abilities ofworkers to use new technologies.

The program manager and the tutors bothmentioned the worker's ability to read,communicate, compute and problem solve aspositive program impacts. Time savings, errorrates, improved worker safety and quality ofoutputwere also cited as observable changes.

T h e traineesindicated that the

program had impacted theirability to use machine?), andpoform certain technicaltasks,as well as to better communicate

with other workers in a teamapproach.

They also mentioned that due to their increasedconfidence they felt more comfortable askingquestions and working independently. Theprogram also had a positive effect on their writingand organizational skills, as well as their attitudetowards the company, their ability to advance atwork, future career plans and family life.

As with all new projects, there were many differentbarriers to be addressed grid resolved and this wasthe case with Newfoundland Hydro during theimplementation of the program.

5 0

Management identified threeobstacles that had to be hurdled

before implementing theprogram.

The first of these was the cost of the program,particularly in release time. The second barrierwas the possibility that workers might be resistantto basic skills remediation and the third was thebelief that education is a public sectorresponsibility. With time each of these barrierswas successfully crossed.

The program manager mentioned two majorcauses of concern during the implementation stage

the mismatch between worker needs andavailable training and initial worker resistance toa basic skills program. The union representativealso felt that costs, the widespread and remotenature of the sites, unexpected delays, difficultyenrolling the first students, getting resourcematerials on time and co-ordinating participanttraining time were barriers that needed to be sortedout.

Trainees mentioned that the most significantbarriers to implementing the workplace programwere the issues related to whether the program

was really needed and the lack of informationavailable to arrange for the basic skills training.As one respondent said "sometimes the sources oftraining even when they are available don't meetthe employees' needs and they aren't quite surewhat they would be getting from a basic skillstraining program".

- --

Policy In\fl uences

Some factors that would influence NewfoundlandHydro's decision to expand the program are theavailability of support services, cost effectivenessand financial incentives. Local forums andemployer networks where companies could talkabout the contributions of such programs areneeded. In Newfoundland Hydro, federalgovernment assistance would also influence theirdecision to expand the program. Providing releasetime for employees to take part in a programfunded outside the firm would also significantlyinfluence the company's decision to expand.

es of the Program

Workplace and individual needs assessments wereconsidered paramount to the success of theprogram, as was the high level of support and co-operation from committee members, the unionand the company. These assessments assisted inthe development of the program. Employee inputwas actively encouraged, resulting in trainingwhich was responsive to the identified needs ofthe workers.

51

Another innovative feature wasthe "employee centred" focus ofthe program. All participantsfelt an ownership.

The willingness of employees to participate andvolunteer to tutor their co-workers was alsomentioned as a program feature that wasnoteworthy.

Lastly, the formation of regional sub-committeesat each pilot site was an extremely effective methodfor program implementation. As one of thestakeholders said, "these sub-committees providedreliable insight into issues such as recruitment,program evaluation and training methodology.Sub-committee members collectively andindividually possessed extensive knowledge andskills which were invaluable in dealing withproblems and issues related to programimplementation". In other words, ongoingconsultation, along with continual co-operationwere key features of the LIFT program.

The advice offered by those involved inNewfoundland Hydro's workplace educationprogram can be summarized by some of thefollowing recommendations:

ensure that a company completes a workplace

needs assessment and listens and responds tothe employees needs.

do a thorough job on the promotionalcampaign.

get support from all stakeholders in thecompany, union and employees.

programs must be employee-centred andmanagers of the program must be responsiveto input from employees. Avoid developingone general curriculum to fit everyone'straining needs. Allow for individualdifferences and develop training programsbased on the specific needs of each employee.

utilize community resources such as tutors andtrainers.

organize one site project at a time.

information presented to employees should beclear so that there is no misinterpretation ofthe objectives of the program.

tutors should be well-informed and given theopportunity to discuss the various aspects ofthe program prior to their involvement.

5 2

IntertapePolymer Inc.,

Truro,Nova Scotia

Workplace EducationProgram

53

PROFILE

Intertape Polymer Inc., Truro, Nova ScotiaWorkplace Education Program

/Intertapedell PolymerIncorporated is a

manufacturingcompany which

produces textiles in Truro, Nova Scotia. Recentlythe company has experienced an increase in thesize of their workforce as well as in sales and inprofits. Before implementing their basic skillsprogram in 1990, Intertape Polymer had not feltthe need to offer such a service to their employees.The program in its present form is not acustomized or tailor-made program in which a taskanalysis was conducted, but is a more generic typeof upgrading program. In addition the companyalso offers various support services to theparticipants in the program.

The t,:aching methods used in the workplaceeducation program are varied in nature. Thelearning takes place in a group-orientedenvironment, with self-paced modules which allowthe participants flexibility and easy access to theone-to-one tutoring. The major subjects taughtin the program are reading, writing andpreparation for General Education Development(G.E.D.) certificate.

There were a number of factors behind thedecision to implement the program such as: thedemand for increased productivity, the need for

improving processes and setting new standards,increased competition, health and safety practicesand a timely promotion from a local literacy group.

The program has been helpful to all employeeswho participated, especially thcse with long servicewho needed to upgrade skills in order to competefor promotions. Other program impacts were thesignificant improvements in the employees'reading, writing, math, communication andproblem-solving skills. The workers themselvesalso mentioned an increase in organiiational skillsand confidence in day-to-day work activities.

Uncertainty about what skills were needed.,concerns over employees' resistance to basic skillstraining and cost of the program, particularly inrelease time, were some of the issues that requireddebate among the stakeholders beforeimplementing the program.

One innovative feature of the program can bedescribed as the "leadership" taken by thecompany. As one respondent explained, "thecompany was willing to take responsibility foridentifying and educating their own workforce andnot relying on someone else or some other agencyto do it for them". Other innovative programfeatures were the commitment of those whoparticipated in the training, the strongcommunication within the program structures, theclassroom culture and the sharing that occurredamong the trainees.

Some of the advice that the participants of theIntertape Polymer group offer others interestedin implementing a similar type of program include:work as a team to organize the project, have thecompany share in the cost of release time, makesure that all parties are discussing program deliveryand design and that all stakeholders are involvedfrom the beginning.

4 8 5 4

4

-

Intertape Polymer, TruroWorkplace Education Program

AIM

Intertape Polymer Incorporated, a manufacturingcompany which produces textiles, employsapproximately 350 workers at their main locationin Truro, Nova Scotia. They also have 3 .sistercompanies in Montreal, Louisana and Danville.All four of their sites run 12 hour shifts, with eachlocation in continuous operation. The maincustomers of Intertape are large manufacturers.Since they are one of only a few suppliers they arein an international "niche" market. The companycan best be described as a public corporation.Union representation exists solely at theirMontreal location.

The demographics of the company workforce arevery diverse. Eighty five percent of the employeesre production people and labourers, with

management, professional and clerical making upthe additional 15 percent. Less than three percentof the production people are employed part timeor seasonally. Sixty-two percent of the workforceare men and thirty-eight percent are women withthe average age being 34. Aside from a fewemployees, everyone speaks English as their firstlanguage. The workforce is made up of mostlyCaucasian workers, with several African Canadianemployees and a small percentage of Nativeemployees.

Management foresees several significant changesfor the company over the next five years. Theypredict not only an increase in the size of theworkforce, in sales and in profits, but also anexpansion in the size of their market. These

changes may, in turn, result in a need for theexpansion of their training programs.

The company currently provides on-the-jobtraining for technical skills, as well as basic trainingin reading, writing and math skills. The trainingneeds correspond to worker needs such as problemsolving skills, basic communication skills andtechnical skills. For example, some supervisorshave found it necessary to spend extra timeexplaining procedures and requirements toworkers.

Standard or formal evaluations are used by thecompany to measure performance of theindividual workers.

Over the past few years therehas been an improvement inproductivity and pelformancewhich may be due to thechanging skill level of theworkers, the introduction ofnew technology and the settingof "targets and goals".

Overall, there has been about a one percentturnover rate in the company during the past year

mostly in part-time staff. Workers leftpredominantly because of transfers and layoffs.

5 5

Human gesources Policy

Two thirds of the employees at Intertape have beenwith the company from between five and twentyyears. The company's training policy has been toupgrade existing staff so they can promote fromwithin. There is an expectation that this trainingwill promote loyalty and reduce turnover. Withinthe past five years, the company has had difficultyrecruiting workers with the, needed qualificationsand skillF Those skills most frequently mentionedas being in short supply are English language skills,oral communication, reading, writing and mathskills. As well, the company has had difficulty inrecruiting workers who have an aptitude formanufacturing work.

With th e continualintroduction ofnew technology,increased competition for workand markets and changes inthe organization of theworkplace, it becomes more and

more difficult to find workerswith the types of transferableskills needed.

The company has responded to some of thesechallenges through initiatives such as the IndustrialTraining Program and consultancy work with theHuman Resource Development Planning unit andthe International Loss Control Safety RatingSystem. They also continue to improveproductivity through the use of new technologysuch as the ISO 900Z.

The company not only responds to skill shortages,but is also cognizant to human resource issues.For example, lack of promotion from within maybe causing poor employee morale, particularly withall the growth and change in the work force. Aswell, worker/management relations and thenumber of layers of management are issues underreview in the company.

Although absenteeism remains a problem, theirpolicy regarding sick leave is more generous thanaverage. The policy regarding vacation is aboutaverage and although the company's wages aresimilar to other employees in the area, they arehigher than the overall wages in the local labourmarket. The company also offers: on-the-jobtraining, tuition assistance, paid release time for"off-site" training, education and "in-house"seminars, health, life and disability insurance,pensions, profit sharing and parental leave.

Prior to implementing their workplace educationprogram in 1990.Intertape Polymer had notconsidered any basic skills programs. The initiativeis not a customized or tailor-made program in

5 6

which a type of task analysis was conducted, butis a more generic type of program.

It is administered by the Human Resourcemanager, with no standing committee responsiblefor the program or person who acts as a liaisonbetween the program participants and the programadministrator. The program is currently beingdelivered by an outside education consultant whois paid through external funds.

The company also offers support services to theprograms. Some of these include: a tuitionreimbursement plan, one-to-one tutoring andcounselling services. Although those who completethe program do not necessarily receive a bonus,raise, or promotion, one respondent explained,"selmral participants have completed the programand won positions, or were considered forpromotions".

Serices ;Ind .Thiniq Delhies4

The primary subjects taught inthe program are reading,writingand General EducationDevelopment (G.E.D.)upgrading.

The program participants are predominantlyproduction workers. The classes meet on Tuesdaysand Thursdays and are scheduled an hour beforeand an hour after work. The work schedule is from8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.Therefore classes are scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to9:00 p.m. - both on employer and employee time.

The teaching methods used in the workplaceeducation program are varied in nature. There areself-paced workbooks which allow the participantsthe flexibility to work at their own pace along withthe assistance of one-to-one tutoring when needed.The learning takes place in a group orientedenvironment.

Classes meet twice a week for three months andas one respondent commented, a "comfortabletraining room" was added by the company in their1990 expansion. There have been 46 participantsin the G.E.D. program and 15 in the basicupgrading program. Ten participants with somehigh school education typically sign up each cycle,with about six to seven completing the cycle.There are about 10 people in each class, with twiceas many male participants as female. Ages rangefrom 25 to 40 years of age and the ethnicbackground of the participants is Caucasian. Thecost for the program is approximately $375,000.

57

Decision Maid ng 'about the Program

A local literacy group who sent the company very"timely" information about basic skills trainingwas one of the catalysts in the eventual creation ofthe program.

Increased competition andhealth and safety practices alsoplayed a key role in theimplementation oftheprogram.

The availability of more grade 12 and universitygraduates in the labour market put pressure onthe company to upgrade their own internalworkforce and on the employees to work towardsa grade 12 diploma in order to compete. As thedecision to transform the work organizationbecame apparent, the workerS themselvesidentified the need for training and the companyresponded. As one supervisor explained, "thedemand for increased productivity, of improvingprocesses and setting new standards made us awarethat some of our long time employees would notbe able to 'cope or be promoted unless theyupgraded their math and English skills".

In retrospect, the company now believes thatidentifying the training needs of the workplaceand the learning needs of the workers would haveassisted them in the development of their program.Input into much of the decision-making anddesign was solicited from both employees andsupervisors, although some employees would have

liked to have been more involved in the process.The employees view the program as a voluntaryfringe benefit and see it as both a personal andjob-related benefit.

Although the company has not yet tried to measurethe returns of the training on the shop floor, apresent criteria for successful completion of theprogram is a passing grade on an exam. The useof tests and assessments for exit or completion arealso being used. The program has been mosthelpful to employees with long service who needthe skills upgrading to compete for promotionsand is fulfilling its goals of giving those who wantto be promotable a "chance".

The Human Resource manager evaluated allaspects of the program as satisfactory: the content,the participant learning gains, the participation,the teaching methods and the logistics. Thesupervisor also felt that the workers wereimproving their reading, writing and math skills.

58

,

In addition, employees werelearning "how to" bettercommunicate with each otherand were developing strongerproblem solving skills.

Both the workplace education co-ordinator andthe instructor said that the program had had animpact on the ability of the workers to analyzereading materials, communicate, compute andproblem solve. They also mentioned that thetraining had had a positive influence on the qualityof worker interaction and worker safety. They bothevaluated all aspects of the program as satisfactory.

The workers stated that the program had helpedthem improve both their writing skills andorganizational skills. They also mentioned theimpact it had on their confidence in their day-to-day work, their ability to advance at work, theircareer plans, as well as their self-esteem. Severalexplained the program had even impactedpositively on their family life. Both companymorale and the possibility of advancement weresignificant impacts also mentioned. As onesuccessful participant explained, "One G.E.D.grad was promoted to Trainer and this year waspromoted to Department Coordinator".

There were a significant number of reasons, alreadymentioned, for the company's decision toimplement the program and very few barriers thatwere encountered along the way.

Management mentioned thatnot knowing exactly what skills

their employees needed orwhether employees would beresistant to basic skills training,

were both barriers during theimplementation process.

The trainees mentioned the cost of the programas being a barrier - particularly in release time.

111 5 9

There are many different policies that wouldinfluence the company to expand their workplaceeducation program.

Entry-level tests to certift thatworkers had the basic skills towork in the textile industrywould strongly influence thecompany to expand its program.

These tests could also be used to identify and trainworkers with low competencies to achieve levelsneeded for certification. If the costs of the literacytraining could be used to offset up to two percentof the company's contribution to theUnemployment Insurance Fund, then they wouldbe in a better position to expand.

Other more moderate influences on the company'sdecision to expand the program include: employersponsored training and education consortiums, afederal tax credit, renegotiating their benefitpackage to trade off the cost of such a programfor spending on other fringe benefits, grants madeavailable to reduce or eliminate the firms "out ofpocket costs" and the reassurance that workerswould remain with the firm long enough to recoupthe investment in training.

Innovative Features of the Program

There were a multitude of factors that collectivelycontributed to the innovativeness of the program.One set of factors was related to the leadership ofthe company. As one respondent mentioned, "thecompany was willing to take responsibility foridentifying and educating their own workforce andnot relying on someone else or some other agencyto do it for them".

Another innovative feature was the commitmentof those who participated in the program.Connected to this commitment was the goodcommunication within the program, theclassroom culture and the sharing among trainees.The give-and-take between the company and theemployees was also cited as an innovative featureof the program.

As one supervisor explained,"the commitment that wasneeded from the employees was

pronounced and was one ofthekey reasons for the program's

Y.)

success .

60

In addition, the company sharing in theoperational costs, particularly through release time,made it easy for employees to attend the program.The availability of teachers before class time andthe feeling that the company was encouraging theCC empowerment of their employees" were twofeatures particular to this workplace educationprogram.

lb

Some of the advice that the participants fromIntertape Polymer group have to offer include:

Training of all types should be made moreavailable to a wider range of employees.

Team work is very important. Meeting once amonth with the supervisor keptcommunication open.

O Some of the participants would not have beenable to attend the program because ofscheduling problems. Therefore, thecompany shared in thecost of release time.

Onmi-

Have the service provider meet with all parties(together) to discuss program delivery anddesign.

All stakeholders should be involved from thestart.

The service providers have to be seen asneutral parties, not someone hired bymanagement to deliver a program that maynot be wanted by labour.

Look at what you need, see what is availableand design the program around your needs.

55

61

Atlas GrahamIndustries Co.,

Ltd.

Workers' EducationTraining Program

56

62

PROFILE

Atlas Graham Industries Co., Ltd.Workers' Education Maining Program

.4

Atlas11111I

GrahamIndustries Co.

Ltd., founded in1941 is a family-

conscious, team-oriented, brush manufacturingand distributing company. The company has usedquality circles, recruited more highly-skilledworkers and added new technology in responseto human resource issues. It has also directedmuch attention to the worker's ability to read,write, orally communicate and function as a team.

This is the third year that Atlas Graham IndustriesCo. has offered a training program. It is deliveredby an outside services provider and has beendescribed as "more general in nature" than jobintegrated. Reading, writing, spelling,mathematics and oral communication skills aretaught in a group-oriented environment, twice aweek, for one or rwo hours, for a period of four tosix months. Eight people typically participate ineach term, or cycle of the program.

The decision to implement the program was basedon the company's desire to increase workersatisfaction and to improve communication at theworkplace. Although the company has decidedagainst measuring the returns of the program,formal and informal evaluations have beenconducted by the participants on the teachingcomponent of the program.

In general, all stakeholders are satisfied with thecontent, learning gains, teaching methods andlogistics. The program also impacted personallyon the employees self-esteem, family life andoverall confidence. An interesting example of theemployees' learning process was their decision toprint some of their own articles and stories in alearner's newspaper. This was not only to helpimprove their writing skills but as they explained,"It may help other learners to learn".

The program encountered several barriers duringthe implementation process. Some of theseconcerns centered around the uncertainty aboutwhether the program was needed and if it was,ho* to respond to the problem. The question of"whose" responsibility was it to upgrade theemployees' basic skills was also a concern that hadto be addressed.

There are numerous innovative features that havebeen attributed to the program's success. Forexample, the quality of the instructor, thecommitment of the students and management'swillingness at all levels to initiate and support theprogram were significant factors. The tailor-madecurriculum and the coordination and policydevelopment at the provincial government levelalso aided in its success, as did the demonstrationproject money from the National LiteracySecretariat.

The advice offered by the participants to othersplanning a similar program can be summarizedby several of the following key responses: strivefor a "partnership model" between management,instructor and the workforce who should keepabreast of current issues, maintain a broad attitudetowards learning, implement a curriculum drivenby participants, make the program voluntary andflexible and recruit committed individuals.

5763

Atlas Graham Industries Co., Ltd.Workers' Education Training Program

Company Background

Atlas Graham Industries Co., Ltd., formerlynamed Atlas Brush, was founded in 1941 by JamesDavis Graham in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Throughthe leadership of Mr. Graham's son Joe, Atlas hasevolved into a team-oriented, profit-sharing,family-conscious manufacturer and distributor.The move from an old, multi-storey building to anewer, 60,000 square foot building, combinedwith the most modern mop and brush makingequipment available, assisted the company'sexpansion into iheernational markets.

Atlas currently employs 40 workers with 50%being machine operators. There are 19 men and21 women presently employed whose ages rangefrom 20 to 55. Sixteen of these employees speakEnglish as a second language. Three speakGerman, one person speaks Italian and theremaining 12 speak Portuguese. Approximatelyfive percent of the workforce are Native Peoples.According to one supervisor, the skills needed toperform the work at Atlas Graham includeeverything from reading, writing and math skills- to communication, cooperation and problem-solving skills.

Most employees have been with thecompany in excess of 12 years.There has been areduction in stafffrom 52 employees

C1000

to 40 since the beginning of 1990. However, withsales expanding there are now seven part-timeemployees.

Although the company has neither a "careerladder" within the organization nor a pool ofskilled workers ready for advancement, jobs aboveentry level are usually filled internally, as priorityis always given to current employees. Thecompany, however, does have some employeeswhose skills are too low to make them promotable.

The company's policy regarding sick leave andconcerning lateness is more than lenient. Theirpolicy regarding vacation pay is about average andwages are higher than similar employees in thelocal market and in the region. The companyoffers on-the-job training, tuition assistance andin-house seminars. They also offer fringe benefitssuch as: health, life and disability insurance,pensions and profit-sharing.

There is a general belief in the firm that schoolshave failed to prepare people for work so thecompany must. They hire people at wages "abovetheir value" and then train them to levels ofperformance that will make them "worth theirwages". Since they promote from within, training

111

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111

58

64

fez:

is often required which in turn tends to promotegreater employee loyalty and reduces turnover.

Presently the human resourcesissues at the firm include:labour costs, productivity, waste

of material and the ability ofthe workers to read, write, orally

communicate and function asa team.a:m=0mM

The company employs several different strategiesto cope with these human resources issues, suchas training, the use of sub-contractors andtemporary agencies. They have also attempted toimprove productivity through the use of qualitycircles, the recruitment of more highly skilledworkers and the use of new technology.

rogram Description

This is the third year that Atlas Graham IndustriesCo. Ltd.'s workplace education program has beenin place. The program is described as being moregeneral in nature than job integrated and wasentirely customized for the company. It isadministered by the Chief Executive Officer anda standing committee, which is made up of topmanagement, supervisors and programparticipants. There is also someone who acts as aliaison between the program participants and theprogram administrator or firm management. The

program services are delivered by an outsidedelivery agency.

To assist trainees, the company has introduced atuition reimbursement plan along with tutoringsupport services. Wages are not raised aftertraining is completed and the program is notviewed as a fringe benefit.

ServiCes-and Training-Deliyere

The workplace education program is delivered ina group-oriented environment using a variety ofteaching methods.

59

Reading, writing, spelling,mathematics and oralcommunications skills arecurrently being taught topredominantly productionpeople.

Classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays,immediately after work, for one to two hours. Theduration of the course is from four to six months.Participants are scheduled for their course on bothemployee and company time at the work site andtrainees volunteer to participate in the program.

Twenty-three people have completed the programsince its inception. Eight people typicallyparticipate each term or cycle of the program.There are usually a higher percentage of women

6 5

than men trainees, who range in age from 28 to51. All of the participants speak English as theirsecond language. The ethnic backgrounds of theparticipants are usually Caucasian, Portuguese andFilipino. Participants have some high school, orgrade 8 or less. The total cost of the program is$13,000.00 a year.

The major factors in thedecision to implement thecompany's basic skills program

were predominantly to increase

worker satisfaction and toimprove communication at theworkplace.

The introduction of new technology and accessto subsidized training by an outside public sourcealso had an influence. The firm's decision to offera higher quality of product and improve customerrelations were factors which contributed to thedecision to implement the program. Thecompany's shift to a more progressive attitudetowards labour-management relations was alsomentioned as a reason along with responding toincreased health and safety practices imposed bythe government.

Certain decisions were also made during theimplementation process which were problematic

decisions such as costs, location and difficultyenrolling the first students. The companyindicated that if they had identified the learningneeds of the workers, recruited participants andsecured funds to support the program in advance,these problems most likely would not haveoccurred.

The company has not yet measured the returns ofthe program and has no plans to do so. However,formal and informal evaluations have been doneby participants on the teaching component of theprogram. The instructor evaluations are used tomeasure the educational gains of the programparticipants. A criteria for successful completionin the program is completing the required hoursof class attendance. The current completion rateof the program is roughly 90 to 100 percent.Information regarding a participant's success isshared on an individual basis and confidentialityis assured.

The manager of the company expressedsatisfaction with the following: program content,participant learning gains, teaching methods andthe logistics. However, he would like to see anincrease in the number of students participatingin each class.

The supervisor, instructor and education specialistrated the following program impacts as significant:

6 6

f"..-

the ability of the workers to read, to communicate,problem-solve and work independently, increasesin company loyalty, morale, teamwork, customersatisfaction and the quality of output. Thesupervisor who knows the cost of the program tothe company stated that, "It's well worth it".

The employees indicated that many areas of theirlives had been affected by the program. Forexample, at work they noticed an increased abilityto communicate with other workers by asking andunderstanding questions, an increased ability towork independently and an increased ability inwriting and organizing their time. They alsoindicated that "speaking with more confidence andrecognizing that other workers may need help"were indirect, but highly significant programimpacts.

As well, the program has had a positive impact ontheir confidence in job tasks, their satisfaction withwork and as a result, an improved attitude towardsthe company. The program has also impactedtheir self-esteem, their family life and their overallself-confidence. As one participant explained, "Weall learn from each other including theinstructor".

An interesting example of this learning process isthe employee's decision to print some of their ownarticles and stories in a learners' newspaper. Thisnot only helped them to improve the writing skillsof spelling, grammar and punctuation, but as theyexplained, "It may help other learners to learn".One of their more current publications is entitled"Great Stories from the Great People of AtlasGraham".

-Brriers. to Iniii.lerhentltion

As with any new training program, managementmentioned several barriers that were encounteredand solved in thz, process of implementing theirinitiative.

At first, they had neverconsidered the issue of basicskills training; therefore, theywere not sure whether such aprogram was needed.

Although the company suspected there might bea problem, they were unaware of any solutionsand did not know how to arrange for basic skillstraining. Their uncertainty about what they wouldbe getting from basic skills training also made themquestion whether it would cost too much,particularly in release time. Management was alsoconcerned that workers would be resistant toliteracy and language remediation.

6' 7

It was also mentioned that often companies arenot aware of "how to" package basic skills trainingwith other in-house training. Sometimescompanies feel it is too difficult to get the returnsof their investment because of high employeeturnover. As well, some firms believe educationis a public sector responsibility and the workersare responsible for solving their own problems.However, in this case the barriers that were crossedexemplifies the company's commitment inresponding to the workplace literacy issue.

The trainees mentioned that personal activitiesoutside of work, lack of day care and theembarrassment attached to attending literacyclasses were the most significant barriers, not"necessarily to the program but as barriers whichprevented others from enrolling.

Policy, in o en ces.

The manager believes the company would be morelikely to expand the program if tests weredeveloped by employer organizations, thegovernment, or schools to certify that the workershave the basic skills to work in the industry.

Another strong influence on the

company's decision to expandwould be ifa local communitycollege, school, or other agencyoffered to design, implement

and provide a basic skillsprogram for their employees.

A federal tax credit, or offsetting the costs oftraining up to two percent of the company'scontributions to the Unemployment InsuranceFund would also strongly :nfluence the company'sdecision. A 20 percent U.I. reduction would alsoinfluence the organization's decision as well as therenegotiation of their benefit package to trade offthe cost of program expenses.

Some of the more moderate policy influencesinclude: evidence from the firm indicating thatbasic skills training pays for itself through increasedjob performance and productivity, availability oftechnical service particularly if it were providedby the provincial government and an employer-sponsored :raining and education consortium.

Innovative Program FeaCores

There are numerous features of the program atAtlas Graham that contributed to it's success. Thequality of the instructor who has been teaching inthe program for three years, the commitment ofthe students, the available and comfortable on-site facilities and management's willingness at alllevels to initiate and support the program werethe features most frequently cited by participants.

The tailor-made curriculumwhich reflected many of the

6 8

tc-tcompany's concerns and issueswas also an innovative featureof the program.

"The project team, with their co-involvement withall the stakeholders" as mentioned by theworkplace co-ordinator reflected the cooperativeparticipation experienced in the project. Thecommitment of the participants, theirresourcefulness and ability to work independentlywere other positive features of the program. Someof the words that were used to describe theattributes of the trainees were enthusiastic,motivated and committed and characteristics ofthe instructor - talented, resourceful andcommitted.

The coordination and policy development at theprovincial government level aided in the qualityof partnership between stakeholders and theparticipants of the program. The available federaldollars to support various aspects of the programwas also mentioned as an important componentalong with the continuity and niomentum thatwas created by all those involved.

Advice: ko th ors.;

° Program

'When asked, "If a similar company wanted to setup a workplace education program like this one,what advice would you give?", the responses canbe summarized as follows:

ensure that the company representativeassigned to be involved in the project is keptaware of what is going on so that they are ableto support the program when problems arise.

ensure support from all levels of management.

make sure that supervisors are aware of timethey are going to lose to allow participation inthe program.

strive for a "partnership model" betweenmanagement, instructor, workforce.

committed committees.

program must 1:::e viewed as being of valueregardless of the level of the student.

curriculum driven by participants.

voluntary participation.

the instructor must be experienced in adulteducation practices and be flexible.

secure appropriate on-site facilities that areavailable on a consistent basis.

maintain a very broad attitude towardslearning.

remember, it benifits employer and employee.

demonstrate to other employees thatmanagement encourages participation.

6 9

The AlbertaRoofing

ContractorsAssociation

Roofers EducationalSkills Training Program

PROFILE

The Alberta Roofing Contractors AssociationRoofers Educational Skills Training Program

T hRoofers

EducationalSkills Training

Program (REST), wasprimarily developed for employees in many smallroofing companies who could not affordindividual up-grading programs. The funding wasreceived from provincial and federal sources andfrom the Alberta Roofing Contractors Association.This funding allowed employees, predominantlyindustrial and commercial roofing contractors, theopportunity to develop literacy skills needed toperform their jobs. It also assisted them to keepup with the technological changes within theroofing industry. REST was developed anddelivered by Alberta Vocational College,Edmonton for the Alberta Roofing ContractorsAssociation.

The project was initiated for many reasons. It wasimplemented in response to safety concerns, agrowing industry demand for increasededucational standards, a changing workenvironment and new trends in the roofingindustry.

Training for rookrs is usually very job related,often dealing with new roofing systems, updatingnew technical skills, first aid, WHIMIS, safetyseminars and toolbox meetings. By implementinga drop-in learning centre approach, the programwas able to re.spond to the diversity of their trainingneeds. It was also able to conform to the changing

work hours of the roofers. These factors collectivelymade it possible for a number of differentcompanies to access training.

Since its inception, 25 people have participatedin the program. The most significant impact theprogram has had on the participants is increasedself-esteem and self-confidence. Some individualsapplied to other training while others applied forhigher positions and moved internally within thesame occupational field. Employees improvedtheir academic skill levels, communication skills,dealing with others and work attitudes. They alsoincreased their knowledge of workplace safety.

Better access to program information and a morecomprehensive involvement of the employees inthe program would have eliminated same of theresistance to participation. Due to the actuallogistical problems roofers experience when tryingto attend a program, such as: irregular hours, jobstakiag them out of town and being part of arequired team, created a barrier to participation.

One program feature worthy of mention was thepersonalities that gave leadership for example,the roofing inspector and project staff whosestrong commitment, vision, time and energyassisted in the evolution of the project, from itsconception to its implementation. Anotherinnovative feature was the participatory approachimplemented through the Employee DevelopmentCommittee, whereby employees were actuallyinvolved in planning their program. This ensuredthat the content suited the identified needs of theparticipants.

Some of the advice that has been offered to thosewishing to embark on implcmenting a programcan be summarized as follows: establish an advisorycommittee, carefully select the instructor, securethe commitment of all stakeholders, engage theservices of a qualified institute to perform a needsassessment, pool resources, establish flexibility andsccure a key individual to spearhead the project.

65

71

The Alberta Roofing Contractors AssociationRoofers Educational Skills Maining Program

The Roofers Educational Skills Training (REST)program was developed for related small businesseswho operate in a common marker and who lackthe revenue base and resources to support a literacyskills upgrading program. This pilot literacyproject was developed and delivered by AlbertaVocational College, Edmonton for the AlbertaRoofing Contractors Association (ARCA).Employers within the roofing trade, through theRoofing Industry Training Association of Albertacould provide the funding support for relevant andappropriate skills development for roofingemployees.

Employees interviewed for this case study workedprimarily for industrial and commercial roofingcontractors who were members of ARCA. Theywere frequently involved in seasonal work, werequite mobile and typically were members of a fiveto six person crew who specialized in roofingsystems and installations. Each person was arequired member of the crew and unable to bereplaced when attending classes. In peak periods,a long work day would often necessitate employeesworking late into evening.

The REST Project was initiatedin response to safety concerns, a

growing industly demand forincreased educational standards,

a changing work environment,

new trends in the roofingindustry and the need forproviding basic skills trainingin the workplace to roofingemployees.

Human Resources Policy

Within the roofing industry, a high turnover existswithin the labourer sector, with the average lengthof stay at a company not exceeding more than twoyears. Normally jobs above entry level are filledinternally. Most companies offer good benefitsfor their permanent employees including health,life and disability insurance, vacation time andtuition reimbursement. Training for roofers is jobrelated often dealing with new roofing systems,the updating of new technical skills, first aid,WHIMIS and safety seminars and tool boxmeetings.

One of the major goals of this literacy programwas to develop a model of delivery which wouldallow employees from many small roofingcompanies to access training without interruptionto their work schedules. It was also anticipatedthat this model could be used with other sectors.An additional goal was to provide employees withthe opportunity to develop literacy skills needed

72

to perform their jobs and keep up with thetechnological changes within the roofing industry.

An Employee Development Committee consistingof roofers, the roofinE! inspector and the instructorwas set up to ensure that the program suited theemployees and met their needs. A workplace focuswas maintained by having input from the roofingapprenticeship program at the Northern AlbertaInstitute of Technology.

Management, supervisors andemployees were consulted inestablishing the goals for theprogram.

The content of the program was based onobjectives derived from the needs assessments.These were to facilitate the development of basicskills, to enhance communication andinterpersonal skills, to increase participant selfconfidence, to improve personal managementskills and to develop an attitude of lifelonglearning. In the pilot project, funding was receivedfrom provincial and federal sources and from theAlberta Roofing Contractor Association (ARCA).

In the course subsequent to the pilot, the ARCAprovided the operational funds.

. .Services and:Trapung:Delivere

The model of delivery selected by the instructorand the Employee Development Committeeutilized a drop-in learning centre approach.

The program was able torespond to the diversity inlearning focus and interests ofthe learners as well as to conform

to the changing work hours ofthe roofers.

By implementing this model, employees from anumber of different companies were able to accesstraining.

One hundred hours of instruction were offeredover a 15 week period to the 18 learners whovolunteered for the first REST program. Asubsequent REST program, begun in the winter,has recessed for the summer and will start up inthe fall.

The program is administered by AlbertaVocational College in Edmonton. Instructors usea variety of teaching methoth with a program ofstudy consisting of reading, writing, mathematics,interpersonal skills, money management,computer literacy skills and communication skills.

73

Classes meet twice a week after work in theevenings. They are normally two to four hours induration. Employees are taught at AlbertaVocational College on employee time. Class sizedoes not exceed 20. Since its inception, 25 peoplehave participated in the REST program. Theyare all men, mostly technicians and labourers, withan age range of 22 to 45.

The total cost of the program is $10,000.00outside of the initial needs assessment, curriculumdesign and Pilot delivery. This is absorbed by theAlberta Roofing Contractors Association.Evaluation in the form of a final report by theinstructor and an external evaluation by KeyanoCollege indicated that the program was highlysuccessful. Participants also had an opportunityto evaluate the program.

DeCislon MakingAhom the:Program ,

The process that triggered the implementation ofthe REST program was begun by an employer whowas in contact with a government workplacelanguage manager who spoke about the needs andbenefits of workplace literacy training for roofers.The process of generating interest and buildingcommitment on the part of employers and

employees took a number of years. From theREST program it was learned that piojectcoordinators and partners require adequate leadin time to start a workplace education programand employees need notification well in advanceof program start up through the use of postersand flyers and face to face contact with champions,employers and employees. Recruitment andassessment were critical elements in setting thestage for effective program results. The strikingof an Employee Development Committee ensuredthe needs of the roofers were being met.

The major impact ofthe RESTprogram was the increased selfesteem and self confidenceexperienced by all th e

participants.711MMI1.

Some individuals applied to other trainingprograms while others applied for higher positionsand moved internally within the sameoccupational field. A few took up work in othertrades or occupations. Participants were morecomfortable with computer technology due to thecomputer literacy component of the program.

An unanticipated impact of the program was anew interest in topics that had not been part ofthe employees post educational experience such

74

as personal development issues involvingcommunication skills, dealing with others andwork attitudes.

Employees improved their academic skill levelsand by the end of the program they had gainedconfidence in their ability to learn after a longabsence from the classroom. They demonstrateda positive attitudinal change regarding lifelonglearning and the ability to succeed. They alsoincreased their knowledge of workplace safety.

Barrier's. toimpternentotio.....

Other barriers involved the attitude of someemployees, employers and stakeholders toward theissue of literacy.

Better access to information about the programcould have been present as well as morecomptehensive involvement of the employers atthe outset of the program and throughout itsevolution.

Some employers do not have agood understanding of thee ects and benefits ofworkplace

literacy and thus don't believebasic skills training will be very

e ective.

Employers often don't know what skills are neededfor productive job performance and are very busytrying to survive economically. Workplace literacyis not a high priority with them.

Some workers are resistant to learning, are afraidto reveal their literacy difficulties and feel theydon't need it for their jobs. This existing attitudeimpacts greatly the recruitment of potentialvolunteers for a workplace education program suchas REST.

The work reality for many of the roofingemployees is that their jobs take them out of town,they are part of a required team and they workirregular hours. All these factors impact thescheduling of the workplace class and dictate thatthe time frame be flexible with both open entryand open exit.

fluences

All stakeholders expressed thc desire that everyonein the industry should be more aware of the needfor workplace education programs. Employers ofcompanies need to be more cognizant of the issuesand benefits of workplace programs and be partof a network promoting program successes andimpacts to all levels, particularly to the employee

7 5

base. There should be more partnering betweenbusiness and governmem. Government could playa greater role in policy development by facilitatingincentives to small businesses through tax breaksand U.I. reductions.

Employees are seeking more support andencouragement from their employers for theiracademic development. This would aid them inestablishing a more positive self identity.

Coalition building andcollaborative efforts amongmany partners is at the heart ofthe issue of human resourcesdevelopment.

Innovatkre Prograiu Features

The success of the program rests in part with theindividual personalities who possessed strongcommitment and vision and who invested muchtime and energy to the project. The champions

who emerged in the evolution of this project fromits genesis through to its completion were theroofing inspector and the project staff of thehOsting educational institution.

In addition to the provision of adequate fundingfor the project, there also existed a network ofstrong support and continual cooperation by allprogram partners the roofing industry, theparticipating educational institutions and thegovernment.

70

Other innovative features lay with theparticipatory approach implemented through theEmployee Development Committee, wherebyemployees were actually involved in planning theirprogram thus ensuring that the content suited theidentified needs of the participants. It wasimportant that the instructor possess theappropriate skills and personality to deliver thiskind of program.

Offeringa broadermore holistic

program of study includingreading, writing, numeracy,interpersonal skills, personaldevelopment, safety and health,

computer literacy and computer

assisted learningwere powerfidcontributors to thesuccess ofthe

program.

76

Included in this holistic approachwas content developed with aclear workplace focus and avariety of teaching modes to accommodatelearning styles, learning needs and learning focus.

Other features included voluntary 'registration tothe program, accommodative scheduling that wassensitive to the working time frame of participatingemployees and re-entry into a learningenvironment that subscribed to employeeparticipation in a familiar atmosphere withfamiliar content and with working peers.

'Achsice to OthersP- -Layton.' .... .

The following advice has been offered to thosewishing to embark on setting up a workplaceeducation program:

Establish an advisory committee at the outset.

Select the instructor carefully and someonewho demonstrates flexibility and compassionto the cause.

Secure the commitment of allstakeholders.

Engage the services of a qualified educationalinstitution in performing needs assessments.

Pool resources and use outside experts ifnecessary.

Secure a sound funding base.

Recruit participants thoroughly and withsensitivity.

Listen to the needs and goals of theparticipants.

Involve the participants as much as possible indesigning their learning.

Maintain open communication at all timesbetween all involved parties.

Establish a flexible program delivery.

Secure a key individual who can spearhead theproject.

77

BrunswickMining and

Smelting Corp.Ltd.

Workplace EducationProgram

78

;

PROFILE

Brunswick Mining and Smelting Corp. Ltd.Workplace Education Program

BrunswickMining and

Smelting Corp.Ltd. (Mining

Division) employs over one thousandpeople at their mining site. Essential basic skillsrequired of most of the labourers are reading,writing and math skills, communication skills andteam-work skills.

Both the introduction of new technology andincreased worker satisfaction were central to thedecision to implement the program. Anotherreason why more attention has been given to thecompany's training program is that there is a verystable workforce at Brunswick Mining. Thecompany believes to maintain the stability of their"internal market" they must continue to upgradetheir existing staff. This, in turn, also promotescompany loyalty.

The workplace education program was introducedfive years ago. Over 150 people have participatedin the program since its inception. It is an entirelycustomized, original program that could best bedescribed as more general in nature, than jobrelated. The teaching methods used to deliver theprogram are also varied such as self-paced modules,one-to-one tutorials and also some group-orientedtasks.

Input was solicited from employees andsupervisors about the design of the program. The

fact that workers identified the need for trainingwas definitely one of the most important factors.As one instructor explained, "these skills arenecessary in today's workplace because of thehigher education standards being implemented inour industry''.

In t..:rms of impacts, generally speaking,satisfaction was expressed with regards to thecontent of the program and the learning gains.The employees ability to read, compute andcommunicate was also frequently mentioned asareas where the participants exhibited task mastery.

There were only a few barriers that BrunswickMining and Smelting encountered during theimplementation process. The key concerns raisedduring this time were: how to design a program,what exactly they would be getting from basic skillstraining and what skills did their employees need.Hard work and combined experience assisted thecompany to both answer and overcome thesebarriers.

There were a multitude of program featurescontributing to the success of Brunswick Miningand Smelting's workplace education program.Features such as maintaining confidentiality,extensive promotion of the program and the actualstructure of the program were all mentioned assuccessful attributes of their program. Participantsbeing allowed to work at their own pace withtutors and a well known and trusted instructorwere also essential components of the program.Finally, a partnership between union andmanagement was considered key to programoperations.

Some of the advice offered by the participants canbe summarized by the following statements:communication is key to successful programimplementation, confidentiality is essential,working at your pace encourages self motivationand most importantly, the program must besupported by both union and management.

73 79

Brunswick Mining and Smelting Corp. Ltd.Workplace Education Program

Brunswick Mining and Smelting Corp. Ltd.employs over one thousand people at their miningsite. They are one of the few suppliers who servecustomers in both national and internationalmarkets. The corporation is represented by a unionthat was established in 1964 and the majority ofemployees are technical and production people.Ninety-nine percent of the workforce are men,whose ages range from 25 to 64. Sixty percent ofthe workers speak French as their first language.Ninety-nine percent of the workforce are nativeto Canada.

The kinds of skills required to de the work at NewBrunswick Mining include both technical skillsand the basic skills of reading, writing and mathskills, communication skills, team-work andproblem-solving skills.

Several significant changes are foreseen at thecompany in the next five years such as a reductionin the size of the workforce, a decline in sales andin the size of its markets. These changes willprecipitate a need for expanding trainingprograms.

Rop urces Policy

With the yearly turnover rate decreasing,Brunswick Mining has a very stable workforce.

The general attitude ofthe firmat this time is that schools havefailed to educate people - sothey must.

They also believe that they have an internalresource market, which means that to achieve anyproductivity gains, they must upgrade existingstaff. There is also a belief that promoting fromwithin will require more training but that trainingpromotes company loyalty.

With the introduction of new technology and thefirm's desire to improve customer relations, as wellas to shift to a stronger commitment towardslabour-management relations, the firm has decidedto expand their training programs and laterreorganize their work structures. Increasingcompetition and the mass retirement of workersare current issues faced by the Human ResourcesDepartment.

The most serious human resources issues howeverhave been a waste of material followed by concernsover: recruiting and hiring qualified workers, notenough promotion from within, labour costs, toomany layers of management, the workers' abilityto read, write and solve math problems and finally,customer relations.

When jobs above entry level are available, theyare occasionally filled internally. The company hasa policy which defines the career ladder within

the organization and a small pool of skilled workersready for advancement.

Training often followspromotions and promotionsoften follow training.

The company has a more generous than averagepolicy regarding sick leave and vacation pay. Theyalso have a lenient policy regarding lateness.Absenteeism is an issue the company hasattempted to minimize. Brunswick Mining offerson-the-job training, tuition assistance, paid releasetime for off-site training or education and in-houseseminars. The nature of this training andeducation has changed considerably in recentyears.

The company's wages are higher than those ofsimilar employees in the area and in the locallabour market and it offers an extensive fringebenefit package as well. These include: health, lifeand disability insurance, pensions, profit sharing,vacation and parental leave and tuitionreimbursement.

This workplace education program has been inplace for five years.

It is an entirely customized,original program that has bothgeneral and job relatedcomponents.

It is administered by a training co-ordinator andunion officials. There is also a standing committeeconsisting of a human resource manager, a unionrepresentative and an employee representative. Aswell, there is someone who serves as a liaisonberween the program participants and the programadministrators. The services are delivered by aninstructor inside the firm. The company also offersa tuition reimbursement plan and counsellingservices. The program itself is not viewed as a fringebenefit but as a welcomed response to the changingmarket.

'Seryices m1Trãining Delierecf

There are several teaching methods used to deliverthe services in the program. There are self-pacedmodules, one-to-one tutorial sessions and alsosome group-oriented methods.

Reading and writing are taught twice a week tothe various types of employees either during thework day or after work. These voluntary classes

81

are from two to four hours and are scheduled onboth company and employee time, either on, oraway from the work site. The duration, or termlength of the course is, as one respondentexplained, "until the employees feel trained totackle old tasks in a better way or try out newtasks".

Over 150 people have participated in theworkplace education program since its inception.Seventy-six people are currently in the program,with 35 to 40 people typically participating in eachterm or cycle. There are usually 10 to 20 men perclass, between the ages of 40 to 50. Partici'pantsusually have some high school or grade 8 or less.

The introduction of new technology and increasedworker satisfaction were two of the major factorsin the company's decision to implement theprogram.

Changes in productionmethods, increased health andsafety practices, the need toreduce waste and changes inlabour-management relationswere also extremely importantfizctors in the decision toimplement the program.

Workers themselves identified the need fortraining. The basic skills are "necessary in today'sworkplace because of the demand for highereducation standards in our business", explainedthe instructor, who spoke with both managementand the employees about their goals for theprogram.

There were some start-up difficulties that couldhave been minimized if the company had beenable to more readily identify the specific trainingneeds of the workforce and of the individualworkers. However, input was solicited fromemployees and supervisors about the decision-making and design of the program.

All of the various employees argued in favour ofthe program - with a productivity-related approachbeing one of the key thrusts. The only argumentagainst the program was from a supervisoryperspective, due to the logistics of staff absencesduring training. The company funds both theirown start-up and operating costs.

Program Impacts .

One of the criteria for successful completion ofthe program is the demonstration of task mastery.As with most programs, this one has been evolving

Ill"over the past five years and a new program hasslowly emerged. The focus in on life long learningand it is therefore too early to have "graduates .

8 2

The company is planning to continue as well asexpand the service.

Opinions about the program impact were varied.For example, the manager is satisfied with thecontent of the program but is concerned with thelevel of participation, the service provider and thelogistics. He stated that the program is not worthits cost to the company - or that it should beexpanded. He also rated the ability of theemployees to communicate and increased morale,as being only moderate program impacts.

On the other hand, although the educationspecialist was dissatisfied with the logistics, hebelieved that the content, learning gains andparticipation levels were satisfactory. Theinstructor was also satisfied with the content,participant learning gains and teaching methods,but was not satisfied with the level of participation.

Both stakeholders agreed thatthe workers' ability to read,compute, problem solve andcommunicate were skills thatincreased as a result of theprogram.

They also agreed that morale, quality of workerinteraction and the ability for employees to workindependently were significantly improved. Timesavings and the ability to L_e new technologieswere other positive program impacts.

The union representative was satisfied with all ofthe aspects of the program and the employeesinterviewed really connected to the teachingmethodology, but stated that they were dissatisfiedwith the logistics. Both the union representativeand the employees agreed that their ability to read,compute and communicate had improved, as wellas the quality of worker interaction and their abilityto work independently. They stated that theirwork effort had increased and that company timesavings had been positively affected. They alsorated worker safety as a program impact.

Barriers to Implementation

There were many reasons that Brunswick Miningand Smelting Corp. Ltd. (Mining Division)decided to implement thcir workplace educationprogram and only a few barriers that theyencountered during the process. The barriersmentioned by management were location and notknowing "how to" go about designing a programor whether it was needed. They were also unsureas to what they would be getting from a basic skillstraining approach and what skills their employeesreally needed. However, all of these initialproblems were subsequently overcome. Hard workand accumulated experience combined toeliminate these barriers.

The managcr believes that the company would bemore likely to expand a workplace educationprogram if a generic approach to the curriculum

83

was used as opposed to a more job integratedcourse content.

He believes other strong influences would be: localforums or networks established which would allowthe company to talk with other employers aboutthe contributions and challenges their programshave had, available technical assistance providedbv the federal government and finally, a localcommunity college, school or other agency thatoffers to design, implement and provide a basicskills program.

Some of the more moderate influences would be:evident from other firms ind;cating that basicskills training pays for itself through increased jobperformance and productivity and tests developedby employer organizations, the government orschools to certify that workers have the basic skillsrequired to work in the industry.

The company's interest would be negativelyaffected if they were asked to provide paid releasetime for employees to take part in a programfunded outside of the firm. An employer-sponsored training and education consortiumwould have a moderate influence on thecompany's decision to expland. Federal tax credits,or off-setting the cost of training by up to twopercent of the company's contribution to the

Unemployment Insurance Fund would alsoincrease the likelihood to expand the program. Alarger U.I. reduction would have an even greaterinfluence on program expanding decisions.

If employees agreed to contribute a percentage oftheir salary to a workplace training and educationfund, or grants were readily available to reduce oreliminate the firm's out-of-pocket costs, then thecompany would find it easy to expand it's services.

Innovative Pr ogram Feature& .

There are a multitude of features that made theprogram at Brunswick Mining and SmeltingCorporation Limited a unique service.Confidentiality was mentioned as being a keyfactor in the success of the program. When smallcrew meetings were held to promote the program,with both union and staff representatives, no-onwas signing up. It was then decided that aworkplace representative would initiate aconfidential phone call with any employee whoindicated a preliminary interest during thepromotional presentations. This way no-one elsein a crew knew whether or not a person was in thebasic skills program. This process provedsuccessful.

Promotion was also an innovative program feature.Presentations were made in small groups, toapproximately 1,000 people over three to fourmonths. The program was well explained, so thatpeople knew exactly what they were getting into.It was always presented by union and staffrepresentatives together.

84

The flexible structure of theprogram was also an innovative

feature.

The trainer would interview candidates for theprogram and after completing an initial assessmentwould then schedule them in at their own skilllevel. This process helped create a comfortable,non-threatening environment in which peoplecould learn at their own pace. It also assured thetrainees' confidentiality because no-one knew thedetails of another person's literacy level. Thishelped to avoid intimidation for those working atlower levels. The instructor was also mentionedas a key player in the program's success. He was apeer of the employees, trusted by the participantsand credible with the union representatives.

A partnership between unionand management was alsoconsidered a key feature in theprogram.

A very committed individual from managementhelped create a high profile for the program whichcontributed to its promotion.

0

Some of the advice that the participants gave toothers seting up a program can be summarizedby the following statements:

present the program to the whole workforce -C4 communication" is key to successful programimplementation.

confidentiality is important so that no one issingled out. This concept must be maintainedthroughout the program.

initiate working at your own pace.

encourage self-motivation.

the program must be supported by both unionand management.

8 5

Ottawa'sCentral

ExperimentalFarm Region

Basic Education forSkills Training Program

86

PROFILE

Ottawa's Central Experimental FarmBasic Education for Skills Ti.aining Program

Ottawa'sCentral

ExperimentalFarm is primarily a

research organization,whose main objective is to generate and transfertechnologies aimed at improving food productionin Canada. Farm labourers raise dairy cattle, swineand poultry, as well as plant and harvest crops suchas corn and soybean. This is all done under thedirection of research scientists.

Although there is a fairly stable workforce inAgriculture Canada, there has been significantdownsizing in all occupational categories, with a shiftto more contract positions. Labourers have beenwith the Central Experimental Farm for up to thirryyears.

Basic Education for Skills Training (BEST), whichbegan in 1988, is the Ontario Federation of Labour'sworkplace literacy program. The program seeks toaddress the needs of the worker as a "whole person'.For example, their philosophy posits that althoughsecuring the skills to carry out work related tasks aremandatory, so are the skills related to home, theunion and the community.

With the BEST program, instructors andparticipants come from the same workplace andunion. Selected co-worker instructors receive anintensive training course in English or French givenby the Ontario Federation of Labour's BEST staff.Employees volunteer to instruct during working

hours and teach reading, writing, mathematics andcommunications.

The workplace program at the Central ExperimentalFarm was designed to meet the needs of labourersas whole individuals and assist them in upgradingtheir workplace skills. There have also beensignificant increal;es in the ability of the participantsto read, write, communicate, problem solve andcompute. The introduction of the metric system wasalso a highly successful component of the program.Time savings through recycling, an increase inproductivity and individuals being able to work moreindependently (while being part of a team) are someof the other positive program impacts.

Creative problem solving was used to resolvedifficulties during the implementation of the Farm'sBEST program. It was the responsibility of thesteering committee to work out issues aroundscheduling, location and logistics. The support ofsenior management aided in resolving difficultiesraised in response to time costs and productivity.

One of the most innovative features of the Farm'sworkplace education program is it's bilingual nature.Francophones, who represent a minority group inthe context of this Farm Program are in danger oflosing their French literacy skills throughassimilation. BEST allows both anglophones andfrancophones at the Central Experimental Farm theopportunity to improve their skills with pride anddignity.

The Central Experimental Farm offers rhe followingadvice to others planning to implement a similarprogram: network with others who have experiencein workplace literacy programs, consult with anyoneinvolved in the setting up and running of theprogram, strike a steering committee, promote theneed for workplace education, secure worker orunion representation, demonstrate ongoingcommunication at all times, make the programvoluntary and lastly, maintain ongoing support,training, trouble shooting, planning, negotiating,celebrating and evaluating.

8 1

87

Ottawa's Central Experimental Farm RegionBasic Education for Skills Maining Program

e

The Central Experimental Farm withinAgriculture Canada is primarily a researchorganization. The main objective of the CentralExperimental Farm's Research Branch is togenerate and transfer technologies aimed atimproving the sustainability and competitivenessof agro-ecological systems, beneficial biologicalprocesses related to the agri-food sector and plantand animal productivity, quality and safety. Theorgani7ation cherishes both a positive andproductive work environment and thus encouragesadherence to work values such as respect for others,co-operative teamwork, open communication,commitment to the organization and therecognition of achievement.

The Central Experimental Farm Region, whichis the focus of this case study is comprised of twosites: the Greenbelt Farm, the location of theCentre for Food and Animal Research (CFAR)and the Central Experimental Farm, the locationof the Plant Resc.arch Centre (PRC).Approximately 850 people are employed betweenthe two locations and include research scientists,technical and administration staff and farmlabourers. The culturally diverse workforce iscomprised of full time, part time and termemployees with an age range of 20 to 75.

Dedicated to improving food production inCanada, the CEF is a working farm. Under thedirection of the research scientists, farm labourersraise dairy cattle, swine and poultry. They plantand harvest various crops such as corn andsoybeans that are the basis of the scientific

experiments ultimately aimed at improvingagricultural practices.

Human Resources Policy

There has been significant downsizing inAgriculture Canada in ali occupational categorieswith a shift to more contract positions.

Within occupations, management

personneltends to move aroundmore frequently, while clericaland administrative supportstaffstay anywhere from five toten years.

Labourers have been with the CentralExperimental Farm for up to thirty years. Thereis some yearly turnover due to the hiring of termemployees.

Recruiting and hiring are conducted by topmanagers, the Human Resources Department andby supervisors. Usually jobs are filled internallywith the exception of senior management andspecific scientific-related positions. The careerladder is defined by the "merit- principle" andprogress occurs through competition boards andby job re-classification. The organization offers awide range of benefits including health, life anddisability insurance, pensions, vacation, parentalleave and tuition reimbursement.

88

t.:,t

There exists a group of skilled workers who arecurrently ready for advancement, as well as a poolof employees whose skills are seen as too low tomake them promotable. The as been very little

mobility at the CEP a d ithin the federalgovernment generally within recent years,especially at the lower levels.

Opportunities are available for on-the-job to:ming,tuition assistance, paid release time for off-sitetraining or education and in-house seminars. Asin many workplaces, training opportunities havegenerally been offered to professional and technical

_employees, with less opportunity orencouragement for training within the laboursector. The labourer sector has received pesticideand safety training.

The workplace program at the CentralExperimental Farm Region is the OntarioFederation of Labour's BEST (Basic Educationfor Skills Training) Program. BEST, which beganin 1988, is offered through the auspices of thelocal union with support from management. Mostof the labourer, clerical and some technicalemployees at the CEF are represented L7 thePublic Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Local70075. BEST is offered free of charge in Englishand French.

At the Farm, BEST is administered by a steeringcommittee which was struck eight months priorto the BEST program starting up. The committeeis comprised of top management, a human

resource manager, a union representative and theBEST Regional Co-ordinator.

There isongoingcommunication

between the steeringcommittee,

the BEST Regional Co-ordinator, the instructors andthe participants ofthe program.

At the time of writing, the BEST program hadbeen in place at the Central Experimental FarmRegion for almost one year.

BEST seeks to address the needs of the worker asa "whole person". Having the skills to carry outwork-related tasks are important but so are skillsrelated to home, the union and the community.Management wanted employees to acquire thenecessary tools that would enable them to be asmarketable as possible. The program is learner-centred and adjusts to the particular needs of eachgroup of participants. Upon completion of theprogram, participants receive a BEST certificateat a graduation ceremony.

With the BEST Program, instructors andparticipants come from the same workplace andunion. At the Central Experimental Farm Region,employees volunteer to instruct during workinghours. Selected co-worker instructors receive an

8 9

intensive training course in English or Frenchgiven by the Ontario Federation of Labour's BESTstaff. Participation in BEST is voluntary. Theclasses takes place in small groups, with theemphasis on creating a positive learningenvironment.

Currently four classes are being run at the CEF-three in English and one in French. Three classesare delivered at the Greenbelt location and one atthe Central Experimental Farm. Classes,composed of five to ten participants, are conductedduring the work day, on the work site and on theFarm's time. They are given in either two nvohour sessions a week or a one four hour block oncea week. The duration of the course is 37 weeks.

Reading, writing, mathematics andcommunications are the focus of the workplaceeducation program with attention paid to workrelated issues and demands, personal developmentand the transfer of skills. The metric system wasintroduced as part of the curriculum and waswarmly received by the participants. There are25 people enrolled in the program which isvoluntary and from the labourer sector of theFarm.

As the program is in its first year, managementanticipate similar numbers for the next year withsome new participants joining the program. Somegraduates will choose to move on while others

might feel that they could benefit from anotheryear of BEST training. Between the four classesthere are 23 men and two women, with the highproportion of men reflecting the composition ofthe workforce. The age range is from twenty-fiveto sixty, with years of service ranging from four totwenty years. Participants are all Caucasian witheducational backgrounds ranging from belowgrade 8 to college level. In terms of cost, BESTabsorbs the cosrof instructor training, materialsand staff support. Costs to the Farm are reflectedchiefly in time expenditure with start up andoperating costs absorbed by the Director Generalof the Central Experimental Farm.

. Decision Making obont the Proram

The Human Resources Department liked theBEST Program model and initiated contact withthe BEST Regional Co-ordinator for EasternOntario, who became part of the steeringcommittee and acted as chief liaison between thecommittee, the instructors and the participants.It was strongly supported from the outset by seniormanagement, the union and by some supervisors.

A co-operativeproblem-solvingapproach was applied to assistin the development of theprogram.

The BEST Co-ordinator played a major role ingetting the program organized and off to a

9 0

productive start. This individual spoke withmanagers, supervisors and employ::es about theirgoals for the program. The BEST Co-ordinatorselected and trained the instructors, heldinformation sessions for all interested employees,was responsible for individual needs assessmentsand where appropriate made referrals tc, otherprograms. The BEST Co-ordinator assisted withthe design of the program and curriculumdevelopment and was involved with on-goingprogram implementation, monitoring andevalaation. Class visits took place and reports wereissued on the progress of the BEST Program atthe Central Experimental Farm Region.

Although a few managers and supervisors wereinitially sceptical about the program andarguments were made in terms of practicality,release time and cost, the program was stronglysupported by senior management, the union andby most supervisors who viewed it as a good ideaand a solid expenditure of time.

ogratn. Inipacts

The workplace education program at the CentralExperimental Farm Region was not aimed atGrade 12 creditation. It was designed to meetthe needs of the labourers as whole individualsand assist them in upgrading their skills. If an

iv]employee wished to obtain a Grade 12 SecondarySchool Diploma he or she would be appropriatelyresourced on an individual basis. The programachieved a 90-100% completion rate with criteriafor successful completion based on attendance,participation and the meeting of individual goals.

Although the program has notdirectly affected hiring orrecruiting strategies and wagestructures, individuals are nowmore confident in applyingforother internal jobs with a fewreceiving acting positions andpromotions as a result of theBEST Program.

There have been significant increases in the abilityof the participants to read, write, communicate,problem solve and compute. The introductionof the metric system achieved good success. Therehave been time savings through recycling,productivity has increased, individuals are able towork more independently and as part of a team,confiddrce has risen with supervisors and shynesshas been replaced with more outgoingness.Participants felt they were more able to askquestions, use machinery and perform anytechnical tasks required.

As some participants have stated when visited bytwo members of the steering committee, "I write

9

memos when I'm acting for my supervisor", "Iapplied for a job and made it to the interview", "Iunderstand metric now... it's really important formy job", "I have more confidence talking topeople", "I stand up for myself", BEST works likea team, like work should be", "I feel okay abouttrying new things".

Evaluation of the program is ongoing. Instructorsand participants set and revise goals and evaluatetheir progress toward these goals on a regular basis.Class visits are conducted by members of thesteering committee and reports compiled on theprogress of the program. Participants have hadthe opportunity to express their views about theprogram in terms of new skills acquired, personaldevelopment, impact on work related issues andfeed-back to instructors. Monthly reports ire keptby instructors.

ILtri.er-s to .-hb pk vneriLitiofi

During the planning phase of the Farm'sworkpla-e education program, a problem solvingapproach was applied to issues around location,

practically and start up costs. Issues aroundscheduling, location and logistics were worked outby the Steering Committee.

Even though some levels ofmanagement raised concernsaround time costs andproductivity levels, seniormanagement supported theprogram which aided greatlyin its inception andimplementation.

Funding was not a major obstacle facing theCentral Experimental Farm Region's workplaceeducation program. However, one factor whichwould strongly influence the Farm's decision totrain workers with low competencies to levelsneeded for certification would be the introductionof tests developed by schools. Top management

9 2

supported the idea of tests to certify that workershave the basic skills required for the workplace.

Other policies which might positively impact theimplementation and expansion of a workplaceeducation program would be if the course workwas more job-integrated. Regardless of any policychanges, the Central Experimental Farm Regionplans to continue the BEST Program next year.

There are many innovative features in the Farm'sworkplace education program.

A significant aspect ofBEST is

the bilingual nature of theprogram.

Particularly for francophones, who represent aminority language group in the context of thisFarm Program and who often work in English,there is the danger of losing their French literacyskills through assimilation. BEST allows bothanglophones and francophones at the Farm theopportunity to improve their skills with pride anddignity. There is enthusiasm and constantfeedback generated by the instructors and an evergrowing feeling of self confidence, friendship andtrust amongst the participants.

The establishment, support and dedication of asteering committee coupled with the support of

senior management allowed the principles offlexibility, commitment, effective communication,problem solving and compassion to be promoted.

The use of co-workcrs as the "instructor model"exemplified the practice of "no distinction", withpeople viewed as equal partners in the learningprocess. Another important feature of the programwas the series of information sessions where allinterested individuals could attend without feelingsingled out. Additional features included anappropriate selection process, the input ofemployees in the design of the program which waswork and life related and 100% on work time andthe avoidance of negative terms like "literate" and"illiterate".

IN% IMP

9 3'

Advice to 0.kher Plan qi...Proara.m

In planning a workplace education program, theCentral Experimental Farm Region offers thefollowing advice:

Take the first step and "do it" as it leads toincreased morale and increased confidence.

Talk to other managers who have initiatedsuch a program.

Encourage supervisors to visit otherestablishments that have workplace educationprograms.

Consult with all the people involved in theset-up and running of such a program -theunion, managers, supervisors, participants,instructors and educational consultants.

Strike a steering committee at the outset of theprogram with representation from thesignificant stakeholders.

Make others aware that workplace educationprograms are needed. Don't just adhere tothe idea that the resul4 of this kind of trainingbelong just to the "sponsoring" organization.

Secure union representation. If there is nounion, have worker representation.

Encourage training during work hours.

Have managers fully committed to theprocess.

Demonstrate ongoing open communication atall times to all levels.

Ensure the content of the program speaks tothe needs of the people and is generated inpart from the participants.

Hold groups no larger than 10.

Maintain ongoing support, training, troubleshooting, planning, negotiating, celebratingand evaluating.

Try a co-worker model of instruction withappropriate training and support forinstructor at all times.

Make the program voluntary.

Don't give up.

94

Ottawa's CentralExperimental Farm Region

EPILOGUEWritten by Tamara LevineBEST Regional Coordinator

The information for the case study on theworkplace education program at the CentralExperimental Farm was gathered during Januaryand February 1995. At the end of February, 1995,the Federal Government passed its annual budget.The budget contained many "deficit-cuttingmeasures", including drastic cuts to programs andunprecedented cuts in federal public service jobs.It was announced that 45,000 jobs would beeliminated across Canada, 15,000 of them in theNational Capital Region. Several departmentswere targeted in particular for the cuts. AgricultureCanada was named as one of the "Most Affected"departments.

BEST in general and BEST at the Farm inparticular reflects, by definition, the state of theworkplace and union within which it delivers.There is no question that the impact of the budgeton BEST at the Farm had repercussions that noone could have predicted in the months leadingup to the budget. For example, the BESTgraduation was initially scheduled to take placein early March. It was postponed because theimpact of the budget was so severe. By mid-March, the Director of the CEF had been moved

in to a new job with no further responsibility forthe program. The second date for the graduationat the end of March was cancelled. By the timethe graduation finally took place in mid-April,word was out that the Centre for Food and AnimalResearch at the Greenbelt would be closingpermanently. Even though the final closure wouldnot take place for two years, BEST was cancelledat CFAR. The two remaining BEST programs atthe CEF, an English and a French program at thePlant Research Centre, ran for one month andhad to be temporarily suspended because ofincreased work Jemands and less people to do thework. These two programs are slated to resume inthe fall. By May, all of the CEF representatives onthe BEST steering committee had moved to otherjobs except one. The stress level for employees atall levels has been extremely high as everyoneperceives their job to be vulnerable. The farmlabourers in particular have less education andmarketable skills are feeling underconsiderable pressure.

The hope is that employees at the Farm were ableto gain and in some cases will continue to gain,some skills and confidence that will be helpful tothem in the next step in their lives.

9 5

What Lessons can beLearned to Inform our Practice

In an attempt to explain why these programsworked, a content analysis using a constantcomparative technique was used on theinformation collected from over 100 interviews.This type of approach is commonly used wlientrying to understand a quality or phenomenonsuch as program innovativeness or barriers toplogram implementation. In the following sectioneach factor and its importance to improving thefield of practice is discussed.

What makes a workplace programinnovative?

Looking over the 10 programs there are somedefinite program features common to all casestudies. Such components as program flexibility,a committed management, a co-operative team,quality instructors, a positive psychologicalclassroom environment and an employee centredprogram focus together create an initiative thatworks and is effective for all participants involved.

Program FlexibilityFlexibility within a basic skills program means thatemployees have options. An innovative programallows trainees to attend classes before and after ashift. This means that both classroom hours andthe available site are accessible to the participants.Another aspect of flexibility concerns the teacher-learner interaction. Teaching styles must reflectthe learning styles of the trainees. Risk takingbehaviors are encouraged in a flexible prc gram.Often learners would help out others, both in the

classroom and on the shop floor as a result of tryingout these new work behaviors. This sharing andteam approach was first practiced in the flexibleclassroom culture.

A Committed ManagementCommitment from senior management of thecompany to support the continuous learning waskey to all of the programs previously discussed.Along with creating a culture that encourageslearning, designating funds for basic skills trainingis also an essencial activity. Many of the programsmentioned that there were times when thecorporation had to make very difficult choices toensure that program funding continued, even inperiods of downsizing or lay-offs. The idea of acommitted management to a trained and up-datedworkforce is an important feature of an innovativeprogram. One of the returns of this investmentseems to be a quality staff with a high degree ofcompany morale.

A Co-operative TeamIt is not enough that management alone becommitted to the program. It is also necessaryfor a commitment from all program stakeholders.This includes all levels of workers, the union, andthose within and outside of thc system. Whenthis occurs each stakeholder has a feeling ofprogram ownership. This makes it easier toadvocate and provide a safety net of support.

All parties need to become co-operative partnersin the learning process. The commitment to astrong partnership throughout the infrastructure

9 6

of a company contributes to the type of co-operation and support needed for an innovativeprogram. This cohesiveness assists in thedevelopment of the program especially in beingresponsive to the identified needs of the workers.A program established, operated, funded, andsupported through a cooperative effort of staffmanagement, labour, and government has a lastingimpact.

Quality InstructorsCapable instructors were often mentioned as aninnovative program feature. Caring personalities,along with their dedication and hard work, notonly contributed to making successful programsbut also resulted in employees believing inthemselves and their own abilities. Relaxed,approachable instructors coupled with qualitylearning resources were often described as keyprogram features.

A Positive Psychological ClassroomEnvironmentAnother group of factors closely related to programinnovativeness could be described as the creationof a positive psychological classroom environment.For example, being able to work at your own pace,one-to-one support tutorials and an absence ofpressure for course work deadlines and tests helpedto create an environment of co-operativenessrather than competitiveness among the trainees.Confidentiality was also mentioned as being keyto the comfort level of participants.

Most trainees enjoyed working together in asituation other than work. This social dimensioncontributed to the development of a positive groupculture, which in turn, provided an environmentfor both personal and professional growth. Thisfeeling of pride was often transfered back to theshop floor and gave employees a stronger sense ofjob satisfaction.

Another spin off to the positive climate created inthe classroom was the effect it had on anemployee's personal life. For example, employeesexperienced sentiments such as "no longer feelingstupid", or being able to "help their childrenreading their homework", or "believing inthemselves". A learning environment which canfacilitate these kinds of dynamics is a powerfulcomponent to an innovative program.

04-

Employee-Centred Program FOCUjIdentifying and responding to the needs of allemployees results in an employee centred program.Both workplace and individual needs assessmentswere considered paramount to the success of allof the programs. These assessments not onlyguided in the development of the program butpointed towards the direction in the delivery ofthe services. Employee input was activelyencouraged in most aspects of the decision makingprocess This type of focus also encouragedfeelings of ownership, as well as a willingness tohelp co-workers. Groups became closely knit, andmutually supportive key characteristics of aninnovative program.

97

What Were the Common BarriersExperienced in the WorkplacePrograms?

For any workplace education program to fullyreach its operational state, barriers must beidentified and appropriately resolved. In thepreviously presented case studies several barrierswere consistently raised. Barriers such as programcosts, location, unexpected delays, lack ofinfrastructure, difficulty enrolling the first studentsand company apprehension.

Program CostsThe cost of designing and implementing aworkplace education program particularly withregards to release time was frequently mentionedas a barrier that needed to be addressed. As well,expenses related to conducting the needsassessments were also a concern. Labour costs dueto loss of employees' time during training and thelogistical problems of allowing workers to leavetheir shifts were also considered initial start upproblems. Some of the ways that these programssolved these problems are highlighted in the nextsection.

LocationLocation of the actual program site was stated asan issue needing to be resolved in many of theprograms. Some difficulties arose due to theremote nature of the classroom site, or theinconvenient site location. There were alsoconcerns raised over the lack of privacy attached

to certain sites. Confidentiality was extremelyimportant to the participants. Workers were oftenafraid to reveal their literacy difficulties, or wereembarrassed and sometimes questioned whetherthey truly needed these particular skills for theirjobs. This type of apprehension greatly impactsthe recruitment of potential participants for aprogram.

Unexpected DelaysDue. to the novel nature of designing andimplementing a workplace education program inall of the companies discussed, unexpected delaysare inevitable. Although there is no one formulafor resolving these delays, being aware of themmay assist the program planning committee.Some of the most commonly stated reasons forunexpected delays were: lack of informationavailable to arrange for basic skills training,communication difficulties, worker resistance tothe training and therefore difficulty enrolling thefirst students, confusing program expectations,mismatches between workers' needs and availabletraining and getting resource materials on time.

Lack of InfrastructureThe question of whether companies had theinfrastructure to adequately address the problemofworkplace literacy was one that resulted in manydiscussions. In most cases, structural adaptationstook time to plan and were in constant review.Early discussions seemed to focus on how manyworkers would be allowed to participate in thetraining. This meant that the feasibility ofallowing workers to leave their shifts, particularlyif their jobs took them out of town, or if they

9 8

worked irregular hours, or if they were part of arequired team were all circumstances that had tobe carefully thought through. A lot of good willon the part of management enabled these newstructures to be tested.

Difficulty Enrolling the First StudentsMany of the program participants in the casestudies identified difficulties enrolling the firststudents. This type of barrier often contributedto a slow beginning. The trainees were not onlyunsure of what they would be getting from basicskills training, but at times needed to come toterms with time release problems, family conflictsand, most importantly "the embarrassment ofrevealing that they had a literacy-related problem".Capable project team members sensitive to theseconcerns were able to weather such hurdles.

Company ApprehensionBy trying to integrate a workplace basic skillsprogram into the existing training services,companies often were unsure as to what to expect.Both employers and employees didn't really knowwhat they would be getting from the program,and whether or not it would be effective. Othercompany apprehensions were the perceptions thatworkers would be resistant to basic skillsremediation, and the actual matching of workerneeds with available training. Some of these earlyapprehensions were also due to their lack of notknowing "how to" design a program. Connectedto this was the inability of conducting a needsassessment.

What Advice Can Be Given toOthers Planning to Implement aProgram?

The following summarizes some of the valuableadvice that the participants of the programs haveto offer others interested in starting up their ownprogram. This advice is categorized into thefollowing factors: access available communityresources, partnership funding, make the program,,oluntary, complete a needs assessment, anddevelop a multi-level planning committee.

Access Available Community ResourcesCommunity resources and expertise can helpjump-start a workplace education project. Theselocal or national information networks are currentand possess a multitude of skills and creative ideas.For example, the University of British Columbialanguage program and the Newfoundland HydroLIFT program contacted ABC Canada to find outhow to get started and what steps to follow toinvolve workers in the decision making process.As well provincial associations like Literacy B.C.and Workplace Education Manitoba (WEM) arealso equipped to provide advice and informationto employers. In the case of the Atlas GrahamIndustries program, it was WEM that assisted thecompany in it's needs assessment and curriculummaterial. It's these types of services, fundeddirectly by the National Literacy Secretariat, thatfacilitate the access of valuable advice.

9 9

Partnership FundingA clear message that was given by programparticipants was to seek out different levels andtypes of financial support for the program. Thisfactor works in harmony with a sound foundationof information obtained from the communityresources network. At one end of the continuum,there are programs where management sponsortheir own initiatives, programs like IntertapePolymer Inc.. Another type of funding supportcan be found in training services likeSaskatchewan's WEST program and Ontario'sBEST program. Through partnership grantsprovided by the National Literacy Secretariat,these programs have developed curriculummaterials, promotional information and facilitatortraining for their different provincial projects. Ina similar vein, programs like the Calgary Herald,Northwoodcare, and Brunswick Smelting haveused the services and expertise of their provincialLiteracy Offices. These kinds of enablingarrangements are made possible through a federal-provincial funding mechanism initiated by theNational Literacy Secretariat. In two of the casestudies Alberta Roofing ContractorsAssociation and the Newfoundland and LabradorHydro direct funding has been provided bythe National Literacy Secretariat as these projectsdevelop innovative models of workplace literacydelivery.

Make the Program Voluntary"Do not assume that the employees identified ascandidates will come forward", and "do not coerceemployees into participating in a workplaceliteracy program" were two pieces of advice thatwere repeatedly echoed throughout the various

workplace education programs. Finding out howto get people to participate is key to planning asuccessful program. Advertising the program as avoluntary, self-paced program so that employeesof all educational levels feel welcome assists in boththe marketing and recruitment of participants.Ensuring confidentiality was another definitetheme consistently mentioned.

Complete a Needs AssessmentConducting a needs assessment to determine theappropriate training needs is a key step toimplementing a program. Taking the time tOthink out the program design which is based onthe information from a needs assessment has it'sreturns in the long run. It's important for aprogram committee to realize that this may be thelast chance for some employees to have anopportunity for naining. In other words, thetraining has to be meaningful for both theemployee and the employer.

Develop a Multi-Level Planning CommitteeIdentifying a "champion" in the company toadvocate for the program is a good first stepfollowed by a well represented planningcommittee. By establishing a committee at thebeginning, it is possible to both identify goals andthe means for evaluation. This assists the companyto build a partnership and strengthen "in-house"communication. As one respondent commented"communication among all the partners is key toa successful program." As was the case in severalof the programs discussed, a joint multi-levelplanning committee reviewed components suchas a flexible work space, class time and contentscheduling problems on a regular basis.

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