TOWES is pleased to announce that we will be co hosting the Workplace Essential Skills Certification Training (Entry Level), offered by Carol MacLeod & Associates Inc., May 30 – June 3, 2011, in Calgary, Alberta. For more information TOWES Overview or to register, visit: Carol MacLeod & Associates

The International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), undertaken in the mid 1990s, and the follow-up Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALLS) undertaken in 2003, both highlighted the strong link between literacy levels and economic well being. Individuals with higher literacy skills earn more, are less likely to be unemployed, are healthier  and are less likely to require social transfers such as Social Assistance.

In 2010, in partnership with Bow Valley College, Scott Murray, President of Data Angel Policy Research, and the international study director for both the IALS and ALLS surveys, completed an analysis of literacy levels of adult Aboriginals in Canada. Broken down by province and territory and by urban and rural locations, the analysis provides an in-depth view of levels of literacy, what the local demand is for literacy skills for work, and analyses gaps that exist and how those gaps are affecting the economic well being of individuals and communities.

Since the analysis was completed, the results have been disseminated at presentations across Canada. On Thursday March 3^rd, with the support and assistance of the Bow Valley College Aboriginal Centre, the College hosted, at the Carriage House Inn in Calgary, a presentation by Scott Murray of the findings of the analysis for Alberta. The session, was well attended by representatives from the Treaty 7 reserves, the Métis Nation of Alberta and members of government.

Aboriginal Segmentation Presentation (Alberta)

Bonjour!

TOWES is looking for participants to complete a French language oral fluency validation test.

Participants must:

• be able to confirm their participation by 4:00 pm (MST) Friday March 4^th, 2011
• be able to complete the test by 12:00 pm (MST) Monday March 7^th, 2011
• be non-native French speakers, i.e. French is your second language
• have a land line telephone connection available to complete the test
• have not already completed any components of the TOWES French language oral fluency assessment

The test is approximately 20 minutes in length. An honorarium for completing the test will be issued once TOWES has confirmed the eligible tests are received and completed by the deadline indicated above.

If you, or someone you know is interested, please contact Melissa Wheeler (mwheeler@bowvalleycollege.ca) or Kaesy Russnak (krussnak@bowvalleycollege.ca) in the TOWES department to confirm your participation.

Merci