This resource offers a look at how employers in Manitoba are working with the provincial government to develop training programs to build the skills of their workers.

In a combination of short videos and text, the authors show how training programs were customized to meet the needs of three very different businesses: a manufacturer of conveyors for use in agriculture and in the oil field; a maker of air distribution products for small and large buildings; and a spa offering nonsurgical treatments for a variety of facial conditions.

Workplace Education Manitoba (WEM) begins by assessing the current Essential Skills levels of a workforce, as well as the levels needed to reach specified goals. WEM staff then work with key people in the company to develop a training plan that meets time, quality, and financial needs.

This process leads to the development of customized learning material. For instance, WEM worked with one company to develop a curriculum for learning to read blueprints. In other instances, a company’s workforce included recent immigrants who needed training in English as a Second Language (ESL).

This is one in a series of case studies developed by ABC Life Literacy Canada to showcase successful workplace education programs across Canada.