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 Welcome to the third edition of the TOWES TIMES
Many of our distributors have developed an excellent array of products and services to improve the Essential Skills of learners and workers in the communities they serve. This edition of TOWES Times showcases the work of three TOWES distributors: Sheridan College, Seneca College, and Douglas College.
Sheridan College has established third-party organizations as test administrators in Ontario. TOWES supports distributors in their efforts to make the test widely available for a reasonable cost. Sheridan’s approach not only makes the test more accessible, but also ensures test-item security is maintained throughout the process. Test-item security is important and we are pleased with the stringent protocols Sheridan follows to ensure that test administration is conducted in a manner consistent with our protocols.
Most of the third-party organizations being trained by our distributors are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide career-development services to unemployed residents or special groups. At Bow Valley College, TOWES is being used in its Directions for Immigrants Program, Career Connections, Corporate Readiness Training Program, and as a part of the College’s Student Success Program. We also have third-party agreements with the YWCA and two other local NGOs. By extending TOWES into the career development field, we meet our mandate of providing a variety of educational services to our local community and nationally through our distributors.
Seneca College is building awareness of Essential Skills in the Toronto and York regions of Ontario, developing a new Employer Guide.
Douglas College reveals an exciting new pan-Canadian initiative they have been funded to deliver. The project, which involves five other TOWES distributors, helps employers implement Essential Skills interventions into their workplace.
Our readers are interested in hearing about the Essential Skills work being undertaken by our distributors, so we welcome your articles. As this e-newsletter is read by thousands of people and available on our website, it is a great way to promote the fine work you are doing.
Conrad Murphy, Director of the TOWES Department
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Seneca College encourages use of Essential Skills
An Employer Guide will encourage employers and employees to become more conscious of Essential Skills. Seneca College, the largest college in Canada with more than 100,000 full- and part-time students, is developing and distributing an Employer Guide which will encourage employers to adopt Essential Skills as a means to continuously update employee competencies and improve productivity and safety performance. Read more...
Sheridan launches third-party TOWES Test Administrator Training in Ontario
Sheridan College Institute of Advanced Learning and Technology is the first college in Ontario to authorize third-party test administration. Sheridan’s Flo Babiak provided third-party test administration to the college’s first customer, the Centre for Skills Development and Training, and soon discovered she and her team had bitten off more than they could chew. Read more...
Douglas College leads the Essential Skills Workplace Services (ESWS) project
Douglas College is collaborating with TOWES and six other colleges in order to promote Essential Skills. The Essential Skills Workplace Services (ESWS) will deliver Essential Skills interventions to the workplace, with a strong emphasis on working with employers to enhance the Essential Skills levels of their employees. Read more...
Two new distributors added to national system
TOWES recently signed up two more distributors, ensuring TOWES tests are available all across Canada. With both Collège Lionel-Groulx in Quebec and the Workplace Education Manitoba Steering Committee (WEMSC) in Manitoba coming on board, we are very close to achieving our goal of making TOWES available in every province and territory. The only territory not having an authorized TOWES distributor is Nunavut. Read more...
TOWES Production Assistant Wins ‘Rookie of the Year’
We would like to acknowledge our Production Assistant, Fatma Suleiman, who recently won the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award at Bow Valley College. Each year, Bow Valley College awards prizes to staff who model a high level of customer service to our students, employers, and business customers.
Read more...
Essential Skills Online (ESO) tool
TOWES is currently piloting a NEW Online tool designed to improve the Essential Skills of New Canadians. Essential Skills Online (ESO) is being tested with more than 120 participants across Canada and will be available to our customers in Fall 2008. For more information please contact toweseso@bowvalleycollege.ca
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