What will your learners be reading in the workplace? What writing tasks will they face?

Human Resources Development Canada’s new web site (http://www15.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/english/default.asp) gives you a glimpse into a broad range of workplaces across Canada.

HRDC has conducted extensive research on these Essential Skills: Reading text; Document use; Writing; Numeracy; Oral communication; Working with others; Computer use; Continuous learning and Thinking skills (which has been subdivided into the following: Problem Solving, Decision Making, Job task planning and organizing, Significant use of memory and Finding information ).

HRDC asked 3,000 workers across Canada how they used these skills in their jobs. Those interviewed came from a broad range of jobs that covered all occupations that can be entered with complete or incomplete high school. The jobs covered all occupations classified at Skill Levels C and D in the National Occupational Classification. The findings are summarized in 150 occupational profiles that are a rich source of information. They provide information on the complexity of the tasks performed in each occupation. The complexity rating scales developed for Text Reading and Document Use are compatible with the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) scales. The Profiles also include example tasks illustrating the use of these skills in each occupation and at the different levels of complexity. Included as well is specific information about the manner in which the skills are used in each occupation; e.g., whether the text reading includes letters, manuals or books, or whether the numeracy tasks include the use of integers, fractions or decimals.

Though HRDC has made this information available in the past, the new site provides searching capabilities and access to related resources far beyond what was previously available. You can easily search through the site to find: - Information on particular occupations. - Occupational profiles that contain keywords of interest to you. - Example tasks that illustrate particular levels of skill (e.g., problem solving at Complexity Level 3). - Occupations where skills are used in particular ways (e.g., occupations that use geometry). - Occupations for which the most important essential skills include a certain skill, such as oral communication, or do not include a skill, such as numeracy.

The site also allows you to link directly to other related resources, including the National Occupational Classification and Sector Council web sites. And the site will continue to grow. Data collection continues and profiles of higher skill occupations will be added, as they become available. This spring, the site will be expanded to include a collection of authentic workplace materials that can be used in classroom learning activities and that further illustrate the use of these skills in Canadian workplaces.

What if you don’t have access to the Internet? NALD has received funding from HRDC to produce a CD-ROM version of this web site. NALD is preparing to develop a searchable CD-ROM containing the Essential Skills Database and make it available to those who would find it useful : course and curriculum developers, trainers and teachers, guidance and career cousellors, employers, parents, mentors and student advisors, learners and workplace and occupational researchers. For more information on ordering the CD-ROM, please contact NALD at 1-800-720 6253 or email info@nald.ca