National Adult Literacy Database

The third annual Essential Skills Day will take place September 21, 2012, to raise awareness of the nine essential skills as defined by the Government of Canada and the importance of training in the workplace.

Skills/Compétences Canada, a not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades and technologies, has announced that the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA Canada) has signed on as a presenting sponsor of the next three Skills Canada National Competitions.

"If work-life balance is important to you, define what that means and weigh the job against realistic criteria that is within your control. And remember, that criteria may change, and so the may the job a few years down the road."

Certificates are the fastest-growing U.S. college credential, with more than 1 million awarded nationally in 2010, according to a recent study from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Amid economic uncertainty around the globe, Canadian employers expect to add more jobs in the second half of 2012, but at a slightly lower rate than anticipated in last year's study. Forty per cent of hiring managers said they are planning on hiring new permanent, full-time employees between now and the end of the year compared to 43 per cent in 2011.

In times of economic uncertainty and ever-changing information technology, organizations – whether in the public domain or private sector – are often obligated to sit back, reflect and re-evaluate their activities and priorities. With this in mind, the National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) is adapting some of its services and setting a new course for the future.

Because so much of our time is spent at work, it is the ideal place to encourage good health habits. As an employer, you are in the position to stimulate change. To launch a healthy lifestyle initiative, you could implement a health audit to discover the issues that affect your employees.

What do the nine workplace literacy and essential skills have in common with golf? Employees at Mixcor Aggregrates in Edmonton found out when they attended their company’s annual general meeting.

The Centre de documentation sur l’éducation des adultes et la condition féminine (CDÉACF), located in Montreal, has won the NALD Innovative Technology Award for its new online repository: Compétencesessentielles.ca - 9 Compétences Essentielles pour apprendre, travailler et vivre.

The Essential Skills Good Practice Guide from the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) was produced as a result of the Working with the Community project focusing on the development of Essential Skills (ES) tools and practices.

Being a good negotiator isn't just a skill reserved for corporate CEOs and UN diplomats. It's an everyday tool useful for all of us, whether we're asking for a raise, interviewing for a job, buying a car, deciding on family vacations or even dealing with our children at bedtime.

The research suggests not only that parents’ participation plays a key role in shaping child development, but that disadvantaged parents face more barriers in engaging in these practices. Complementary research shows that parents’ socioeconomic circumstances and educational attainment levels have a direct effect on children’s outcomes.

Volunteer work can be a great way to increase your professional skills, try out a new career or simply take a break from the pressures of your current job and enjoy a different type of activity.

The Board of Directors and staff of the former Ontario Literacy Coalition have announced they have officially become Essential Skills Ontario. "This new name and brand allows us to expand the reach of the organization and better achieve our mission of inspiring and leading the development of literacy and essential skills solutions through excellence in collaboration, research and innovation," said Lesley Brown, Executive Director.

Landing a co-op job while still in school can provide you with excellent experience and be a valuable stepping stone towards your future career.