1 Passport to Apprenticeship

First Nations Employment Society The First Nations Employment Society (FNES) is a non-profit society (Inc. 1997) FNES manages an Aboriginal Skills Employment Training Strategy(ASETS) agreement with Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) on behalf of 10 First Nations, as well as Aboriginals residing within its jurisdiction

First Nations Employment Society FNES is committed to its partners and clients – working toward common targets: Assessing Training Employment Career

First Nations Employment Society The directive of FNES is to: Provide Employment services to First Nations people encompassing four labour market service areas: A.North Vancouver Island B.Sunshine Coast C.Pemberton D.Greater Vancouver Enhance the development and delivery of training programs and employment opportunities in Aboriginal communities FNES strives to increase: Overall Essential Skills level of our target populations Access to full time, permanent jobs Participation in key employment sectors, including trades, tourism, and service Local and regional employers access to the Aboriginal Labour Market

Passport to Apprenticeship A solid foundation – “essential skills” – is necessary to build your technical skills required for a successful Apprenticeship To further your apprenticeship, you must identify what will hold you back. PASSPORT TO APPRENTICESHIP can help with this…

Passport to Apprenticeship What is an Essential Skills Passport? An Essential Skills Passport is part of an online program created by B.C.’s Industry Training Authority (ITA) to help you develop the Essential Skills you need to prepare for the technical training part of your apprenticeship Why? - Because if you have the Essential Skills you need, you are eight times more likely to pass your trades courses exams How? - Essential Skills include reading, numeracy, document use etc. You need these basic skills to build technical skills. When you complete the online assessment test, your Essential Skills will be measured. They will be compared to the skills you need in the first 2 years of technical training in your trade. These are the years that typically have the highest drop-out rate. Even if you have some experience in the trade, you probably have Essential Skills gaps. Almost everyone does. The good news is that you can fill those gaps. The program gives you a training plan with free online learning resources that focus only on the areas where you may need a little assistance. The trade information in this Essential Skills Passport is based on trusted sources, including ITA program outlines and profiles, National Occupational Analysis, Inter- provincial program guides and Essential Skills profiles, where available. Results?- After one month, clients using the online Plato learning plans showed a 20% improvement in their essential skills.

Passport to Apprenticeship The PASSPORT TO APPRENTICESHIP PILOT PROJECT Started Feb 15, 2010 and ended Feb 14, 2012 and was funded by Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program (HRSDC). FNES assessed 313 clients during this project. Will continue in FNES new operation plan for FNES uses the ITA online assessment tool that measures three essential skills (Reading, Document Use and Numeracy) of someone interested in an apprenticeship program, focusing on: Essential Skills required to complete and pass trades courses Develop 313 Learning Plans using on-line links from Assessment and in addition to Plato learning system. Improving the Apprentices’ essential skills level imperative to completing an apprenticeship

Passport to Apprenticeship Upon completion of this assessment, you will instantly receive an “Essential Skills Passport” that will provide you with: An understanding of essential skills that require upgrading to successfully complete your apprenticeship A comparison of your test scores to your trade, listing your skills and where you may need assistance A learning plan which gives you a choice of learning activities and resources that you can use to build your Essential Skills in the areas where necessary

Passport to Apprenticeship The nine essential skills are: 1.Reading Text 2.Document Use 3.Numeracy 4.Writing 5.Oral Communication 6.Working with Others 7.Continuous Learning 8.Thinking Skills 9.Computer Use

First Nations Employment Society First Nations Employment Society is proud to be assessing & upgrading the workplace literacy and essential skills of over 400 Aboriginal apprentices Passport to Apprenticeship

Passport to Apprenticeship Incentive Plan Bus tickets are provided to get to and from the FNES office to take part on the Passport to Apprenticeship online assessment Upon completion of the full assessment, each individual will be coached on their options to further their apprenticeship i.e.;  Learning Plans  Training with allowance  Potential Employment  ITA work based hours  Safety tickets  Work boots and tools

PRODUCT OVERVIEW Website Provides information about the tool Access point for reports, tests and resources created by others Passwords and logins allow for individual learner accounts

PRODUCT OVERVIEW Essential Skill Outlines (ESO) Created for 61 trades. More will be added in the near future. Each is fully customized and match ITABC program outlines List the reading, document use and numeracy skills requirements for first two-years of technical training Viewable online and printable

Passport to Apprenticeship – Workplace Partners Panel The project was represented by a Partners Panel that included FNES, Vanasep, ITA and Squamish Nation. Passport to Apprenticeship was administered by FNES Future: FNES will continue the Passport to Apprenticeship program within its’ ASET operation plan. FNES will continue its partnership with ITA and its member nations within the four labour markets. FNES will continue to use Plato What we learned was that clients needed to be encouraged and supported to improve their E.S. for their Passport to Apprenticeship.

Aboriginal Apprenticeships We need to increase:  apprenticeship training awareness in the Aboriginal communities  the apprenticeship process in the Aboriginal communities  apprenticeship training in the Aboriginal communities  aboriginal women in apprenticeship training  the mobility of Aboriginal Trades people

Native education faces obstacles Vancouver Sun March 20, 2013 By John Richards, Teaches Public Policy at SFU According to the 2006 census, 29 per cent of young adults (ages 25-34) living in B.C. lacked a high school certificate. For aboriginals identifying as Metis, the incomplete high school rate was only 19 per cent; however for First Nation people living on-reserve it was 43 per cent. By contrast, the comparable non-aboriginal rate was eight per cent. FNES has identified the need to do essential skill assessments on all it’s clients for whatever training they are applying for. Gives FNES a snap shoot of where client’s essential skills are at that given time A FNES Training Advisor will assist clients through the whole process.

Passport to Apprenticeship Poster

Passport to Apprenticeship Brochure

Future Assessment Tools FNES will continue using ITA assessment tool with attached learning plans for it’s Aboriginal clients. FNES will discontinue using TOWES (test of workplace essential skills) for it’s trade clients FNES saved about 200, switching from TOWES to ITA assessment tool per 313 clients in addition to having the results right away has compared to waiting for 5-10 days for TOWES results Other occupations FNES will use Careers Assessment tool from essentialskillsgroup FNES will use this model for up coming strategies, partnerships and programs. 19

Conclusion Continue assessing clients and identify their lack of essential skills. Assist them in up skilling their E.S. through learning plans. Continue to create an awareness and promote the benefits of going through an apprenticeship process Continue to assist Aboriginal clients with jobs with potential employers to increase the Aboriginal Labour Force.

Passport to Apprenticeship Contacts Leonard Laboucan FNES # Railway St. Vancouver, BC V6A 1A6 P: F: C: Gordon Grant FNES # Railway St. Vancouver, BC V6A 1A6 P: F: C:

Thank You! 22