National Adult Literacy Database

According to the latest Randstad Workmonitor study, one out of three Canadians say they are very satisfied with their current employer - placing Canadians at the highest employee satisfaction levels reported globally.

The National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) was one of several literacy organizations recognized by the New Brunswick Department of Post-secondary Education, Training and Labour on Literacy Day 2012.

Canada’s economy was near full employment before the 2008-09 recession. Although Canada has recovered all the jobs lost during the recession, it will take another four years to bring the unemployment rate back down to about six per cent.

Having two careers at once is an ambitious proposition and yet not that unusual these days. For some people, a second career may be about creating an additional income stream. For others, it’s about a passion.

While humour can be used to great effect in the workplace, be cautious about flexing your funny bone during the application process. It's okay to show some personality in your resume and cover letter, but don't go overboard. Attempts at humour don't always translate on paper.

This issue features occupational task profiles, a course review, OLES tools and information about the CLLN online forum for adult educators.

Want to keep employees satisfied in their jobs without one foot out the door? Give them a little credit, a new OfficeTeam survey suggests. More than half of workers interviewed said they would be somewhat or very likely to leave their current position if they didn't feel appreciated by their manager.

Structural shifts in the labour market mean “workers in declining industries may not have the skills or experience to match immediately the needs of employers in expanding industries,” Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said in a speech recently.

The award recognizes outstanding achievement in developing and implementing a technology initiative that contributes to the advancement of adult literacy and essential skills. Specifically, the product, project or service should promote, support and/or facilitate knowledge exchange within the adult literacy community.

The Essential Skills in the Gaming Industry website contains a wealth of information about the industry itself and responsible gaming. It also features a new series of documents to assist individuals with their skill levels beyond the core competencies required for employment positions. The series is also available in the NALD library.

This literacy and essential skills training project will place Frontier College's labourer-teachers in businesses across Canada, focusing on high-needs sectors, with particular attention to Aboriginal and new immigrant workers. The labourer-teachers will provide one-to-one tutoring, mentoring and other educational support in the workplace.

“Ministers of education recognize that Canada works best when all citizens have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed,” said Ramona Jennex, Minister of Education for Nova Scotia and current Chair of CMEC. “This means there can be no one left behind: young people, adult workers, Aboriginal Canadians, new immigrants, and those with differing abilities. All must have access to quality educational opportunities to ensure their success.”

Adult learning in Canada and around the world since the Second World War owes a great deal to a handful of Canadians who continue to provide leadership today. Although adult education has been practised in Canada since the early 19th century, it wasn’t until after the war that it developed its own formal field of study.

For the 10th anniversary of International Adult Learners' Week in Canada (IALW) 2012, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO would like to stress the urgent need to reach a broader public. Better synergy among stakeholders facilitates the sharing of lessons learned, as well as its giving greater visibility to learners across the country, the organization says.

Lindsay Kennedy, president and CEO of CLLN, says, “We would like to ask you to join Canadian Literacy and Learning Network in celebrating adult learners during the week of March 24 to April 1, seek out and listen to adult learners across the country, and be part of the force of change that life-long learning can bring to Canada.”