4 . Project and E-Learning Program Overview

1. Doc. #: 4 AN ESSENTIAL SKILL! 4. Project and E-Learning Program Overview Orientation Session October 28, 2013

2. PresentationAgenda • A. Project Goal & Objectives • B. Issues Addressed by Project • C. Training Model • D. E-Learning Program • E. Project Organization

3. Doc. #: 4 AN ESSENTIAL SKILL! A. Project Objectives Orientation Session October 28, 2013

4. Project Objectives • To increase the effectiveness of rural SMEs in assessing and enhancing the digital skill levels of employees

5. Project Objectives • To increase capacity of the field in essential digital skills through knowledge gained following the pilot testing and evaluation of a training model in essential digital skills • (The Research Program)

6. Doc. #: 4 AN ESSENTIAL SKILL! B. Issues Addressed by Project Orientation Session October 28, 2013

7. Issue #1 Literacy & Essential Skills • needed for work, learning and life • foundation for learning all other skills • help people evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change Source: Employment and Social Development Canada

8. Issue #1 Literacy & Essential Skills • Reading • Writing • Document Use • Numeracy • Computer Use • Thinking • Oral Communication • Working with Others • Continuous Learning Source: Employment and Social Development Canada

9. Issue #1 Digital Essential Skills • The Computer Use Skill • Has evolved due to the rapid evolution of … • Information & Communication Technologies • Due to the increasing importance of: • INTERNET information networks & applications • Communication & Mobile technologies

10. Issue #1 Digital Essential Skills • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) are rapidly changing: • the way business is conducted • the way we work • the way we perform work tasks

11. Issue #2 Rural Digital Divide • Rural SMEs are at risk of falling behind • In most OECD countries, workers: • in over 95% of large businesses • In over 85% of medium-sized businesses • And 65% of small businesses • have access to and use the Internet as part of their jobs

12. Issue #3 Occupational Digital Divide • Low-skilled occupations are behind • In the OECD Skills Outlook 2013, on average across countries: • 50% of adults in skilled occupations • 20% of adults in elementary occupations • score at Level 2 or 3 in the problem solving in technology-rich skill Source: OECD Skills Outlook 2013

13. Issue #4 Access to Training • Not easyfor rural small businesses to access training opportunities • Distance from training locations • Costs due to travel • Employees time out-of-work • Minimum number of employees needed for a training course to be offered • Class-room approach not adapted to workplace training

14. Issue #4 Access to Training • Workers in elementary occupations • Are offered less training opportunities than those of skilled and higher skilled occupations • Elementary occupations lack the foundational skills needed to learn

15. Doc. #: 4 AN ESSENTIAL SKILL! C. Training Model Orientation Session October 28, 2013

16. Project Goal • Design a bilingual workplace training model to develop the essential digital skillsof rural small businesses

17. Training Model • With rural small business needs in mind • ACCESSIBLE DIRECTLY IN THE WORKPLACE • Via on Online E-Learning Platform • FLEXIBLE TO ADAPT TO THE WORKPLACE • Self-Paced and Autonomous Learning • CONTEXTUALIZED TO THE WORKPLACE • DRIVEN BY THE SME OWNER / MANAGER

18. Training Model • BASIC DIGITAL SKILLS TRAINING Adapted to Low-skilled Occupations • Training contextualized to doingreal and practical workplace tasks more efficiently using ICTs • Designed for Level 2 literacy

19. Training Model • Target Groups • Rural small businesses in industries with a low-skilled workforce • Manufacturing and service industries • For the piloting of the training:Recruit 12 SMEs in 5 participating provinces to pilot-test the training program

20. Training Model • Target Groups • Low-skilled workers • Elementary Occupations • For the piloting of the training: Recruit over 100 employees of level 2 (& 1) literacy to pilot-test the training • Recruit those with lower than high school diploma

21. Doc. #: 4 AN ESSENTIAL SKILL! D. The Digital Skills E-Learning Program Orientation Session October 28, 2013

22. Definition - Digital Skills • Using digital technology • Using communication tools and networks • Acquiring and evaluating information • Communicating with others • Performing practical tasks in the work place

23. Basic Digital Skills Training • TARGETING ELEMENTARY OCCUPATIONS IN: • ADMINISTRATION • PRODUCTION or OPERATIONS • CUSTOMER SERVICE

24. Basic Digital Skills Training • Designed for literacy level 2 • To train employees on how to perform EIGHT (8) practical workplace tasks using ICTs

25. Doc. #: 4 AN ESSENTIAL SKILL! E. Project Organization Orientation Session October 28, 2013

26. A Partnership Approach • TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAPof Digital Skills in rural SMEs

27. Partners in 5 Provinces • Nova Scotia • New Brunswick • Québec • Manitoba • Alberta

28. Partners • SMEs • Owners / Managers / Employees • Literacy and Essential Skills • Provincial Programs • Rural Business Organizations • Community Futures Network of Canada

29. Funding Partners • Funded in part by the Government of Canada's Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program and ACOA’s Business Development Program • Funded also by the NB Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour and the NB Regional Development Corporation

30. Delivered by the

31. Key Interveners GUIDES • Will recruit SMEs and coordinate their participation in collaboration with the WES Instructors WES INSTRUCTORS of the provincial workplace essential skills program • Will support SMEs and employees participating in pilot-testing of the Online Digital Skills Training in the workplace

32. Key Interveners E-LEARNING CONSULTANTS (SOFAD) • To design and develop all the components of the Online Digital Workplace Skills Training Program RESEARCH CONSULTANTS (SRDC) • To develop research to measure the efficiency of the Online Digital Skills Training Project Team • Plan, implement and coordinate the project, from global planning to workplace activities

33. Key Interveners SME Owners/Managers and Employees • To use/pilot/test the Online Digital Workplace Skills Training Program in a real workplace setting

34. LEVEL OF EFFORT OF SMEs

35. Project Global Process

36. THANK YOU! QUESTIONS? Project Delivered by MERCI! QUESTIONS? Projet livré par Funding Partners • Partenaires financiers Funded in part by the Government of Canada's Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program and ACOA’s Business Development Program.. Financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada, Programme d’apprentissage, d’alphabétisation et d’acquisition des compétences essentielles pour les adultes et le Programme de développement des entreprises de l’APÉCA. The N.B. Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour and the Regional Development Corporation [N.B.] are also participating in funding the project. Le ministère de l’Éducation postsecondaire, de la Formation et du Travail du N.-B. et la Société de développement régional [N.-B.] participent aussi au financement du projet. Les opinions et les interprétations figurant dans la présente publication sont celles de l’auteur et ne représentent pas nécessairement celles du gouvernement du Canada. The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.