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Theresa at a Workplace Education closing ceremony 
Workplace Education Since 1999, thanks to funding from the Department of Education Workplace Education branch, Flowercart has been able to offer a program to our client-employees called Essential Workplace Skills. The Workplace Education format permits us to design specialized training that focuses on the participating individuals’ learning styles and interests. So, even though the planned outcomes are basically the same for each program, the curriculum is developed and modified for each new group of learners. Workplace Education classes are usually held at worksites. Workers are paid for half of the time they spend in class, and they volunteer the other half of the time. This is a way for both management and the learners to demonstrate their commitment to the learning process. The Workplace Education funding helps to pay for a teacher to deliver the program. Flowercart is expected to contribute the money for materials and supplies, classroom rental, a portion of the teacher’s wages and for the "release time" that the workers are paid while attending class. To help us with these additional costs, the Wolfville Rotary Club has been a steady funding partner. The goals for learners participating in Flowercart’s Essential Workplace Skills program are: to improve their reading, writing and verbal communication skills; to heighten their teamwork skills; to improve their job performance and productivity; to prepare them for other workplace training; to improve their Occupational Health and Safety outcomes; and to encourage them to participate more fully in the workplace. As an organization, Flowercart also benefits from running Workplace Education programs. By offering the programs we contribute to a work environment that supports employee improvement and growth. For example, we always see an increase in general morale when a program is running and a decrease in absenteeism was noted in some participants of past programs. |
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