Asking Employers

Ask other employers what they use for their WEP and learn from their successes.  You may find that others have already found solutions to problems with WEP development and delivery that you are currently facing.

Learn about hiring, preparing, retaining, and advancing of low-skilled, low-wage workers in the workplace through the Workforce Innovation Networks (WINs). Through WINs, The Center for Workforce Preparation supports peer-to-peer leadership development and capacity building of local chambers through technology and other resources.
   URL: http://www.uschamber.com/CWP/Projects/default.htm

Partners of the 21st Century Skills Community Network post best practices, strategies for reaching goals and measuring results, and government resources online to enhance education, skills, training and lifelong learning for adults in local communities.
    URL: http://www.skillsnetwork.gov

The Awards for Excellence in Workplace Literacy showcase exemplary workplace literacy programs in Canadian organizations.  Look in the Ideabooks for past winners and top contenders in small, medium and large business categories.
    URL: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/education/awards/literacy/default.htm

This article looks at how to decide which training medium to use, whether online, classroom, or blended. Employers can learn from the experiences of others and see how blended learning can save time and money.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/section/11/article/23/18/52.html

Workplace literacy is an individual’s ability to read, write and speak in English, and to compute and solve problems at the necessary levels. According to the National Workforce Assistance Collaborative, the most effective workplace literacy programs share many common traits.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/17/40/224259.php

PPL Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, designed a customer-service training program that used technology as a tool, not a replacement for other methods. Instead, program delivery methods included instructor-led training with mentors, Web-based self-study, and on-the-job practice.
    URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/28/64/223971.php

The bottom line on training budgets is to ensure you're funding the right efforts to keep your company competitive and get it to its future goals. A business-strategy approach also helps safeguard your training budget from being cut.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/17/10/223644.php

A new report by the Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy shares the views of adult education practitioners and researchers on tools and standards for building and assessing quality adult literacy programs.
     URL: http://www.caalusa.org

This recent report on joint labor-management educational programs uses best practice examples to show the key design elements as well as the benefits and impacts for organizations, unions and individual workers.
     Success by Design   (pdf, 258 KB)

A new report from WINs on hiring, retaining and advancing front-line workers serves as an HR guide for small and mid-sized employers. The report, based on real company experiences, is available for free from the Jobs for the Future web site, under Workforce Development.
     URL: http://www.jff.org/jff

One company shares its training success story using e-learning. In addition to saving $1 million on training during the first year e-learning was implemented, the company says that the real value came from improved customer service.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/23/27/95/232798.php

Several teachers share what they believe other teachers need to know in order to teach in the workplace in this article. The changing workplace, educational philosophy, program design, teaching practices, and the context of the workplace are discussed. 
     URL: http://literacytech.worlded.org/docs/reflects.htm

This article discusses how retailers, who are often faced with high employee turnover, rely on e-learning to deliver training. Shorter online courses are more convenient and cost effective than traditional classroom training for these employers.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/section/11/feature/24/12/94/index.html

Profiting from Literacy: Creating a Sustainable Workplace
Literacy Program is a recent report that provides information and advice for action to employers working to create, improve and evaluate successful workplace literacy programs.
       Profiting from Literacy (free download)

The Small Business Training Network, sponsored by the Office of Entrepreneurial Development, is a virtual campus housing free training courses, workshops and knowledge resources designed to assist entrepreneurs.
     URL: http://www.sba.gov/training/

The Working for America Institute, in consultation with unions and labor-management partnerships in advanced manufacturing, has developed a list of the most pressing workforce challenges affecting the sector.
     URL: http://www.workingforamerica.org/documents/challenges.htm

ISO standards help to ensure processing quality, safety, reliability, efficiency and interchangeability in the delivery of goods and services. The widespread adoption of International Standards means that suppliers can base the development of their products and services on specifications that have wide acceptance in their sectors.
     URL: http://www.iso.org

Working it Out is a recent study that examines how community colleges across the country successfully deployed the resources of the Workforce Investment Act to benefit their students, local employers and their communities. Challenges met and solved are featured within.
     URL: http://www.mprinc.com/pubs/pdf/Working_It_Out.pdf

A new report for the National Commission on Adult Literacy describes various aspects of current workplace education programs in 20 states. It examines program funding; partnerships; strategic plans; measures of success and future policy options.
     URL: http://www.nationalcommissiononadultliteracy.org/pandp.html

This is an evaluation of a project at York College which aimed to analyse gaps in provision and resources of financial literacy, investigate the literacy, numeracy and financial capability needs of the learners, develop and pilot innovative ways for learners to improve their literacy and numeracy, and develop new materials.
     URL: http://www.basic-skills.co.uk/resources/resourcessearchresults/detail.php?ResourceID=809197920

English Language at Work: Work-based English for Speakers of Other Languages is a collection of informative case studies from different sectors and industries in the U.K. The booklet was produced by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
     URL: http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/esol.pdf

Programs in the Workplace: How to Increase Employer Support is a new report from the Canadian Council on Social Development. It examines approaches to workplace literacy training in Canada that have proven effective in engaging employers in workplace literacy initiatives.
     URL: http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2007/literacy

Invisible No Longer is a report that explores a wide variety of workforce development practices that address skills shortages in health care. The report focuses on emerging lessons and investment pay-offs of workforce development efforts aimed at entry-level health care workers.
     URL: http://www.jobs2careers.org/pdf/Invisible.pdf

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Last updated: November 28, 2008.