Module 3 – Curriculum
Workplace Skills
Workplace-Specific Skills
Some adult learners have very specific learning needs that must be met to be able to stay employed or to advance. They must take a course, pass a test, or demonstrate a specific set of skills. Today’s workplace is constantly changing, with a greater and greater reliance on technology and technical skills. Employees who have had the same job for years may suddenly find they need to draw on specific skills they lack. Some students have developed strong skills in other areas to compensate for those that were missing or weak.
 |
"They’d give me the route and I’d chat with the other drivers about where we were going and the best ways to get there. I’d make a map of the route in my head – ‘cause I couldn’t read the route papers they gave me." |
 |
“One of our biggest challenges is keeping abreast of the [workplace’s] courses so that we can help employees, whose pay and position may depend on their being knowledgeable in a particular area, pass a qualifying test." |
|
“I used to have to write ‘put in new fire plug,’ but now I can write ‘installed new hydrant." |
Take a moment to consider how you might access resources for instruction and support of adult literacy learners who need or wish to build workplace specific skills.
 |
On your worksheet, record your initial thoughts about curriculum for workplace specific skills. |
Often, instruction in workplace-specific skills requires developing a relationship with the employer. Adult literacy programs may contract with businesses to provide training and support to their employees, even in on-site classes. If such a relationship is already in place, employers are usually willing to work with instructors to determine the content of the course. While instructors may not administer the specific workplace exams, they can work with the student to review exam study materials and/or performance on past workplace tests. When the issue is not an exam, the instructor may need to conduct a job-task analysis to determine what skills the position requires and choose appropriate learning materials.
Listed below is a real-life adult education scenario. While you are reading, consider the learner’s needs and the challenges facing the instructor. How would you determine which skills are necessary and which resources to access for instruction?
Real-Life Scenario –Phil’s Promotion:
Phil had been working lower-level jobs on construction sites for a number of years. His bosses all describe him as a steady, hard worker, and want to promote him to a crew leader. Phil has resisted this promotion for awhile, much to the bafflement of his supervisors. Eventually Phil revealed that he lacked the reading and math skills necessary to read blueprints and understand complex measurements. His supervisors recommended he attend literacy classes, focusing on the skills he would need to handle this promotion. Lee, his instructor, wants to determine exactly what reading and math skills Phil needs, and, if possible, to teach him those skills with actual job-site materials and situations. He will determine what level he needs to begin instruction after Phil takes an initial assessment.
|
On your worksheet, record your thoughts on Phil’s needs and the instructor’s concerns. |
Then record any ideas you have for the instructor. What might she do to gain a specific skill list and “real-life” materials?
Click the + sign in the box to the right to see ideas from other Adult Education Instructors. | [?] |
-
If the student has been sent by the job site, or has been open about his needs with his employer, it makes things much easier. Often I schedule a meeting with the employer to discuss the needed skills, ask for materials we could borrow, and plan for me to “shadow” someone in order to take notes on the skills necessary. If possible, I try to conduct a thorough job task analysis, which I can then use with other employees or students from similar businesses.
-
Some students do not want their employers to know how they perform on initial assessments because they worry that their skills are low. After the initial assessment, Lee should talk with Phil and explain to him that he is the only person who will see the results. His employer only needs to know (if s/he sent the student) the major milestones he reaches.
-
There are ‘general curricula’ designed for some industries that you can use to start instruction – the health services field has some, as does the hotel industry. Some businesses have training programs that instructors can access in order to develop a specific curriculum.
In reviewing these ideas, did you find any similar to your own? Did any of them strike you as particularly interesting? Did they provide any new insights for your instruction of adult literacy learners?
|
On your worksheet, make note of any tips, insights, or new ideas gained from the instructors’ suggestions. |
In Summary:
- To succeed in the rapidly changing workplace, adults often need assistance in learning specific job skills – like reading a blueprint or operating a computer.
- Sometimes students need assistance studying for or passing a workplace exam.
- Determining the specific skills a student needs is easier if there is a comfortable relationship with the employer(s). Instructors need access to actual job materials, previous exam results, and even the job site itself – for interviews, shadowing, and possibly job-task analyses.
- Although each employment situation is different, there are some industry-specific curricula that have been developed for adult learners.
|
On your worksheet, record any final notes or thoughts, specific ideas you want to remember, plans for further study, etc. |
Click "Next" below or a specific topic on the outline to the left to continue.
