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AUPE News & Updates
Member Updates
Friday, Sept. 12, 2003
Essential skills assessment completed, recommendations made
EDMONTON — An assessment undertaken to gauge the need for essential
skills training among AUPE members is now complete and shows that union
members see the need for training in oral communications, computer skills
and writing skills.
“Reading, writing, math, oral communications and computer skills
are indispensable to living and working,” said Nancy Steel of the
Bow Valley College Centre for Career Advancement in Calgary, which conducted
the assessment.
“Oral communications, computer skills and writing emerged as the
top three priorities among the 403 survey responses we received,”
Steel said.
The needs assessment, which was carried out with financial assistance
from the federal National Literacy Secretariat, took a three-pronged
approach to collecting information, Steel noted.
“Focus group discussions were held with members who provided responses
to questions, then those responses were analyzed to determine the most
common responses, then a multiple-section questionnaire was developed
using those focus-group responses as a baseline for possible responses,”
she said.
“Building on that base, we have developed six recommendations,”
Steel said.
- Develop a workshop for AUPE officers to further their understanding
of this issue.
- Conduct a needs assessment in a health care facility to determine
needs in a specific worksite as a model for future programs.
- Create a video dealing with the issue.
- Draft a “how-to” manual for locals that wish to mount
essential skills assessments for their members.
- Promote essential skills training at sectoral conferences.
- Schedule a day at which AUPE leaders would meet public education
providers to discuss essential skills learning needs.
In mid-July, AUPE learned it would receive an additional grant of $25,730
from the National Literacy Secretariat to promote an essential literacy
skills agenda among leaders and members.
“The funds will be used to host a planning event that will provide
AUPE leaders with the information they require to understand the issues
related to essential skills development in a changing world,” said
AUPE Union
Representative, Education, Greg Maruca. “That understanding will
allow them to negotiate for essential skills programs for members.”
A summary of the needs basement report
can be accessed by clicking here.
The full report may be read by
clicking here.
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