Tools and resources for career development
Discover a variety of carefully selected resources to help learners succeed in their career journey. These workbooks, tutorials, industry-specific guides, and interactive online courses will help them prepare for work, evaluate their skills, and find resources to support their growth. Topics include:
- Training materials and assessments for essential skills vital for success in various careers
- Learning resources, plain language news articles, and engaging podcasts to enhance both language proficiency and financial literacy
- Resources to assist with navigating the job market, including guides for job search strategies, job retention, career transition, workplace safety, and effective career planning
- Skills for Success/essential skills
- Continous learning
- Language learning
- Employment resources
- Youth focused
Skills for Success/essential skills
Vocabulary building workbook
Government of Canada
Online workbook designed to help improve vocabulary. Appropriate for those who read at a high school level and above.
Trades math workbook
Government of Canada
Online workbook that includes questions and learning materials to help improve numeracy skills required to work in the trades. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Oral Communication Tip Sheet
Government of Canada
Practical tips to help improve communication skills. Appropriate for those who read at a high school level and above
Essential Skills Self-Assessment for the Trades
Government of Canada
Self-assessment for skills needed for a career in the trades. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Connecting Literacy and Employment through Essential Skills workbooks
Literacy Link South Central
Series of interactive and downloadable workbooks for people who want to look for work and improve their essential skills. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Skills for Success: Assessment and training tools
Government of Canada
Tools and resources to assess or upgrade skills.
Essential Skills Companion Kit for Culinary Arts Trades Training
Marlin Ratch, Francesca de
Bastiani, Shelby Desjarlais, Chef
Andrew George, Chef Nathan
Hyam, Chef Chris Monkman,
Jason Forseth
Activities designed to complement Culinary Arts Trades Training, Appropriate for those who read at a high school level and above.
Education and Skills Online Assessment
OECD
Online tool designed to measure literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology rich environments. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above. Available in several languages including French, English, Czech, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish
Continuous learning
Westcoast Reader
Online resource for adult learners to help develop reading and language skills and provide an introduction to Canadian newspapers.
Up Skills for Work
ABC Life Literacy Canada
Workbooks, activities, and online courses to improve employability and life skills.
Microsoft Office, Google and the Internet
GCF Global
Plain language tutorials to improve digital skills. Topics include Microsoft Office applications, Google Suite, and searching the Internet. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Math
Khan Academy
Engaging interactive activities and videos for math skills and concepts from early math (pre-kindergarten) to college level. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Skillswise: Math for adults
BBC Teach
Free videos and downloadable worksheets to help improve calculation and math skills. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Skillswise: English for adults
BBC Teach
Free videos and downloadable worksheets to help improve reading, spelling, grammar, listening, and speaking skills. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Youth and Adult Literacy
NWT Literacy Council
Skill building activities and readings for adults and youth who want to improve
their skills in a variety of areas. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Money Matters
ABC Life Literacy Canada
Online resources that focus on banking in Canada and help improve numeracy skills. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Free Math Worksheets
Math-Drills
Over 57,000 free math worksheets available in a broad range of topics.
Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Reading and language arts
Khan Academy
Engaging videos that focus on English language arts and vocabulary from grade two to grade nine. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Library to adult learners
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
Library for adult learners with interesting and topical stores for adults.
Math
GCF Global
Plain language tutorials to develop math skills. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Learners’ Links
Literacy Nova Scotia
Links to a variety of digital learning resources. Topics include math, reading, and writing, all targeted toward adult learners. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Interactive Reading Practice
National Geographic
Reading texts based on articles from National Geographic Magazine, including interactive comprehension activities, audio recordings, and practice worksheets. Available for all reading levels.
OpenLearn: Languages
The Open University
Variety of free courses for learning English. Available in three levels: level 1
(introductory), level 2 (intermediate), and level 3 (advanced).
OpenLearn: Science, Maths and Technology
The Open University
Variety of free courses for learning science, math, and technology. Available in three levels: level 1 (introductory), level 2 (intermediate), and level 3 (advanced).
Computers
GCF Global
Plain language tutorials for those who are new to using computers. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Language Learning
Breaking News English
News articles designed for ESL students including practice activities and recordings. Available in various reading levels from beginner to high intermediate.
English podcasts
Culips
Variety of podcasts and audio clips that teach how to speak English. Appropriate for those with an upper beginner to advanced level of English.
ELC Study Zone
University of Victoria
English language lessons and practice exercises. Levels range from upper beginner to advanced.
English Listening Lesson Library Online
Elllo
Listening lessons including audio or video, transcripts, and interactive quizzes.
Learning English
Voice of America
Multimedia source of news and information for English learners.
Quill
Online resources to help improve writing, grammar, and editing skills. Appropriate for those who read and write at an elementary school level and above.
Employment resources
Workplace Skills
GCF Global
Plain language tutorials on communicating and succeeding in the workplace. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Get and Keep the Work You Want
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Practical information about key skills and attitudes for job seekers including activities to self-assess current skills and suggestions for related resources. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Workability: What You Need to Get and Keep a Job
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Workbook to help those who are looking for work or having trouble maintaining employment.
Work Search Basics
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Guide to finding work for new or inexperienced job seekers. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Easy reading: Make Some Job Choices
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Career planning books with stories, checklists, and exercises to help adults with literacy create a short list of one to three jobs to investigate.
Life skills
Khan Academy
Skills development for areas such as careers and personal finance including instructive videos to explain concepts. Appropriate for those ready at an elementary school level and above.
Develop Your Job Smarts
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Online resource to help people keep their job and succeed at work including suggestions for other helpful tools, resources, and quick-learning guides. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Job Smart: Tips for staying employed
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Plain language guide to keeping your job with stories and exercises to cover important topics. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Easy Reading Job Profiles
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Information on 23 different jobs, including what the worker does, skills required, average salary/wage, and related jobs. Includes a dictionary to use when reading the profiles. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Job Loss: Creating a New Future
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Guide with practical information, exercises, and options to ease the transition from being employed to being unemployed, to moving on and creating a new future after job loss. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Resources for Specific Audiences
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Information and resources for people from specific groups who are looking for work including Indigenous peoples, persons living with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, youth, and mature workers. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Career Planning
GCF Global
Plain language tutorials on career planning including job search and networking, starting a new career, salaries, and careers without college. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Easy reading: Be Safe at Work
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Easy-to-read information about how to stay healthy and safe on the job. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Easy reading: Training for Work
ALIS, Government of Alberta
Stories and exercises to help people with low literacy skills get the training they need to succeed in the labour market. Appropriate for those who read at an elementary school level and above.
Youth focused
21things4students
REMC Association of Michigan
Free digital resource for learning about online safety and how to navigate online activities such as searching for information and online shopping. Designed for youth but can be used by anyone who reads at an elementary school level.
Skills for Success
Skills Canada
Workbooks, videos and other resources targeted toward youth including tips for career building, using the skills, and assessment. Available in English and French.
Skills Canada app
Skills Canada
Mobile app to assess essential skills on a computer, tablet, or smartphone including tests, industry-specific information, and a director of trade and technology schools and training facilities in Canada. Available in French and English. Appropriate for those who read at a high school level and above.