Assessment and tracking of learner progress is fundamental to good programming. To make the task a little easier for training organizations, AWES has funded the development of an online essential skills assessment which can assess and track reading, document use and numeracy.
AWES also offers a variety of downloadable publications which have been developed with the support of provincial and federal funding. These tools are separated into two categories, course materials and reference materials. While the tools are available for free it is recommended that a resource training workshop be considered to utilize the materials to their full potential. Learning resources can be used in a workshop setting or for self-study. Several of our courses have been designed as blended learning opportunities and have online materials to support the learning.
Assessment
AWES Workplace Essential Skills Assessment Tool
The AWES Workplace Essential Skills Assessment Tool is an online assessment that can be used in the workplace, and in the classroom to assess skills, develop targeted training, and measure progress.
AWES believes in the importance of ongoing assessment so invested in this tool as an opportunity to track participant results. It is offered to our clients at a nominal cost to cover the administrative and hosting requirements of the tool. Contact us directly to discuss your needs and we will provide an estimate.
Course Materials
Working Faster, Working Safer
2019
This resource is written at CLB 1-2 and was built to develop language competence, intercultural communication skills, and workplace essential skills by incorporating authentic workplace documents and tasks. AWES offers training on the use of the materials and an accompanying facilitator guide. Contact us for more information.
Target audience: Created to be used by tutors, instructors or workplace trainers supporting newcomers who are employed or who are seeking employment in the hospitality industry.
Language and Skills for Careers in Food Processing
2019
This resource is designed to support newcomers in the food processing industry with information to help with workplace attachment. AWES developed this material based on industry orientation training and an extensive needs assessment.
AWES offers training on the use of the materials. Contact us for more information.
Target audience: Created to be used by instructors working with newcomers who are employed or who are seeking employment in the food processing industry.
Careers in Food Processing Workbook
There is also an online course Starting your Career in the Food Processing Industry available.
Online Self-Study Resources for Newcomer Integration: An annotated guide
2018
This resource was developed as part of a project which introduced employment counsellors to the essential skills framework. During the research phase we learned that many English language learners don’t have time for or access to face to face training. This was created as a way to offer clients opportunities to improve skills using online sites or user friendly downloadable materials.
Workforce Participation Workbooks 1 and 2
2017
These resources are written at different language levels and are built to develop language competence, intercultural communication skills, and workplace essential skills by incorporating authentic workplace documents and tasks. AWES offers training on the use of the materials and an accompanying facilitator guide. Contact us for more information.
Target audience: Created to be used by tutors or instructors working with newcomers who are employed or who are seeking employment
Bridge to Project Management
2016
This course helps ESL employees gain project management skills through a focus on language, intercultural and Workplace Essentials Skills. The course consists of four online learning modules and four full-day workshops. Participants will explore project management concepts that can be applied to any job by moving through the phases of a project.Target Audience: ESL employees interested in improving their language, intercultural and Essential Skills related to project management.
Intercultural Intelligence – Working with Cultural Diversity in the Community Disability Services Sector
2015
The purpose of the materials is to develop organizational capacity in the disability services sector, through training and Workplace Essential Skills (WES) development, to increase the engagement and effectiveness of a diverse workforce.
Target Audience: Employees within the Disability Service Sector
English for Workplace Safety
2015
The English for Workplace Safety materials were designed to increase the understanding of Canadian standards. There are four-modules to support English language learners in building a strong foundation in workplace safety and to bridge them into conventional safety training for their current and future jobs. Concepts include: Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Law, Personal Protective Equipment and Back Care, Workplace Hazards and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)This course was designed as a blended learning course and has an accompanying moodle class that can be used with the materials.
Target Audience: Newcomers to Canada
Bridge to Leadership
2015
Bridge to Leadership is a four module course that was developed using a blended learning model. The four modules are a combination of content knowledge opportunity, language development and intercultural competence building.Target audience: Immigrant workers who are moving into supervisory positions.
Giving Safety Talks: A guide for the construction sector
2014
This set of resources helps supervisors and trainers learn to give effective safety talks. The resources can be used in a workshop setting or for self-study.The Safety Posters have a large visual on the front to explain the safety point and teaching tips on the back.
Target Audience: Workplace trainers, supervisors, safety officers and any employee responsible for giving safety talks in the workplace.
Facilitator Guide | Participant Workbook | Self Directed Guide | 50 Safety Posters
Workplace Integration Series
2013
The resources explain common challenges newcomers experience as they integrate into Canadian workplaces. They provide practical advice, learning exercises and activities to support and accelerate workplace integration.Target audience: Newcomer professionals and their managers and mentors.
A Guide for Managers and Mentors | Desk Reference | Desk Reference Workbook
Working in the Canadian Workplace Series
2012
This handbook and the accompanying workbook will give immigrants a better understanding of an employer’s expectations for them. It also gives practical ways to achieve those expectations. This learning will support language, intercultural and other integration-related needs.Target audience: Recent immigrants to Canada who are employed in the Canadian workplace.
Working with Newcomers: Tips for culturally diverse Canadian organizations
2012
This set of resources gives Canadian-born employees practical tips on how to work more effectively with recent newcomers to Canada. They can be used in a workshop setting or for self-directed study.Target Audience: Canadian employees working with immigrant workers.
Facilitator Guide | Participant Workbook | Companion Resource
Videos
Working Faster, Working Safer – CLB 1-2 Animated Videos
These videos were designed to support CLB 1-2 level learners interested in working in the hospitality field. They were created in response to research completed with employers in the hospitality industry. They are designed to be used with the Working Faster, Working Safer workbook.
Working Faster, Working Safer: Follow Instructions
Working Faster, Working Safer: Ask for Help at Work
Working Faster, Working Safer: Communicate Well at Work
Working Faster, Working Safer: Stay Clean at Work
Working Faster, Working Safer: Be Friendly at Work
Working Faster, Working Safer: Call in Sick
Working Faster, Working Safer: Be on Time
Newcomers and the Workplace: Video series
These videos were created to support newcomers seeking work in Canada. They were developed to respond to language, essential skills and intercultural gaps for employment seekers. These videos support the Workforce Participation workbooks.
Newcomers and the Workplace: The First Day at a New Job
Newcomers and the Workplace: Asking Questions in Your First Week
Newcomers and the Workplace: Taking the Initiative
Newcomers and the Workplace: Completing Workplace Reports
Newcomers and the Workplace: Make Sure you Understand Workplace Tasks
Newcomers and the Workplace: You Have the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work
Newcomers and the Workplace: Personal Protective Equipment at Work
Newcomers and the Workplace: Workplace Hazards and the WHMIS System
Newcomers and the Workplace: Completing Workplace Forms
Newcomers and the Workplace: Aisha Gets the Information She Needs
Reference Materials
Workplace Resources for English Language Learners: An Annotated Guide
2017
The annotated guide is a collection of selected materials that address language, essential skills, and intercultural competence related to the workplace including information and instructions about how and when to use the resource. It provides a look at the most relevant resources to support ELL’s for workplace success.
Target Audience: Program coordinators, practitioners looking for resources to support essential skill development in the classroom.
WorkUp!
2012
WorkUp! was a project that was designed to increase capacity for Workplace Essential Skills in Alberta by training facilitators. Included here are a series of materials developed to educate and inform. They include a report on the project, fact sheets, a practitioner guide and more.Target Audience: Organizations wanting to build capacity and build relationships with employers
Report | Practitioner Guide | Fact SheetAudit | Case Studies Summaries | Full Case Studies | Brochures | Apprentice to Supervisor
Best Practices for the EWP Trainer: English in the Workplace
2012
This resource lists 72 best practices specific to trainers and an additional 17 best practices for centers providing workplace language, intercultural and related integration training. The best practices were collected from EWP specialists in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax. The resource provides guidelines for designing, delivering and evaluating EWP programs.Target Audience: Providers of English in the Workplace (EWP) training
Integrating Workplace Essential Skills into Curricula: A process model
2005
This resource outlines the six steps to introduce workplace essential skills into existing curriculum. It includes identifying possible stakeholders, understanding the occupational goals of the learners, utilizing the resources available to identify common tasks, incorporating the tasks into the curriculum, gathering authentic document and preparing the instructors.Target Audience: Practitioners introducing essential skills to their learners
Sectoral Needs Assessment: A Process for Essential Skills Analysis
2000
This guide provides a framework for performing a sectoral needs analysis. It overviews a systematic process of identifying needs in an industry, based on information drawn from a representative sample and an examination for other contributing variables.Target Audience: EWP practitioners working with industry