Tools and publications

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.

    More information on the assessment 

    Link to website and practice questions

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.

    Working Faster, Working Safer Workbook

  • 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.

    Annotated Guide

  • 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

    Workbook 1 | Workbook 2

  • 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.

    Bridge to Project Management Workbook

  • 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

    Train the Trainer Manual | Handbook

  • 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

    English for Workplace Safety Workbook

  • 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.

    Bridge to Leadership Workbook

  • 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.

    Handbook | Workbook

  • 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

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.

    Annotated Guide

  • 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

    Best Practices for the EWP Trainer

  • 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

    Introducing Workplace Essential Skills into Curricula

  • 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

    Sectoral Needs Assessment