Federal Human Resources Development Minister Jane Stewart (left) chats with Brenda Shandera, a student in the Office Administration program at Bow Valley College. Stewart was in Calgary last week to announce new funding for two projects launched by the college to promote workplace literacy.
The first grant from the National Literacy Secretariat awarded $189,000 to the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), a program that assesses the literacy, numeracy and other essential skills Canadian workers need on the job. It was developed in partnership with a council of representatives from the British Columbia construction industry.
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| Canada NewsWire photo |
The second grant of $171,560 is for a self-assessment test to determine a worker’s ability to effectively read, write, speak and perform basic mathematic skills. The “Measure Up” test links to the National Occupational Classification website (www.worklogic.com:81/noc/home.html) so Canadians can get information on nearly 500 occupations.
“These projects give workers, employers and trainers the tools to assess literacy and skills levels,” Stewart said. “This allows them to be more focused in their training and development so they can fully participate in today’s economy.”
