Western Canada Workplace Essential Skills Training Network (WWestNet)

WWestNet began in 1993. It is a group of educators, labour leaders, government representatives and business people interested in workplace basic skills education. Its purpose is to share information, raise awareness and be a catalyst for workplace literacy and essential skills training. They publish a newsletter, host conferences and facilitate worker education programs. They recognize and support champions of workplace literacy and essential skills. WWestNet provides a western Canada link to provincial, national and international workplace literacy and essential skills initiatives.

SkillPlan

SkillPlan is a joint labour and management initiative of the BC construction industry. It is a not-for-profit society, started in March 1991. SkillPlan’s mission is to develop strategies to improve the essential skills of people working in the unionized construction industry in British Columbia and Yukon.

SkillPlan provides direct assistance to members, including tutoring, study groups and classroom delivery. They work in partnership with a network of training plan administrators and instructors to support apprentices in fulfilling their essential skills upgrading needs.

SkillPlan offers professional support to develop courses and for testing and clear language. Essential skills resources include Tools for the Trade and Numeracy Rules, developed from their experience working with apprentices. The resources provide supplementary materials to assist workers in training and on the job.

SkillPlan provides consulting services when the scope of the work contributes to their objectives. Services include developing essential skills curricula, developing plain language, professional development workshops and mentoring.

SkillPlan has been involved with the research, development and promotion of workplace essential skills for 13 years. This includes essential skills job profiling, self-assessment and resource development. The Essential Skills at Work series, developed with the support of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, provides educators with hands-on, applied materials to bring workplace essential skills into instructional settings.

Yukon Government, Department of Education, Advanced Education Labour Market Programs and Services

Advanced Education provides education, training, employment and other services to prepare Yukoners for the labour force. The department works closely with other territorial departments, the federal government, business, labour, Yukon College, First Nations, equity groups, and provinces and other territories to develop and implement programs.

The Labour Market Development Unit maintains and implements the Yukon Training Strategy the government framework for training and labour force development. The vision for the training strategy is to ensure all Yukon people have the opportunity to participate fully in training and development, to enhance their life skills and employability.

The Labour Market Development Unit implements this vision through the following actions:

• Support workplace and community literacy programs.
• Work with labour, women’s organizations, youth, the private sector, non-profit organizations, communities, First Nations and the federal government to develop and implement specific labour force development strategies and policies such as:
  • Women In Trades and Technology (WITT);
  • Older Worker Initiative;
  • Youth Internship Program (youth at risk); and
  • Labour Mobility Program.
• Register trade schools physically located in Yukon.
• Coordinate education obligations and training issues under Land Claims Implementation.
• Support and work with Yukon College to achieve the objectives of the Yukon Training Strategy and meet local educational and training needs and aspirations.
• Develop labour force planning information and policy.
• Co-manage employment programs and services in the Yukon with HRDC under the Labour Market Development Agreement.
• Provide settlement services for new immigrants.