2. While LBS deliverers in other sectors are able to contact employers directly and negotiate service provision contracts, most colleges have a specific department mandated to make these connections: Contract Training. Colleges are heavily involved in corporate training locally through Contract Training and provincially through CON*NECT, and ACAATO. Individual college departments or programs do not normally contact employers directly with offers to provide services without the involvement of Contract Training. On the other hand, Academic Upgrading programs have extensive linkages with all parts of the college including Contract Training, and their expertise and materials are frequently included in negotiated contracts with employers. Employers are also frequently advised about upgrading opportunities and encouraged to make their employees aware of this training. It is important that Academic Upgrading operate in partnership with other college departments - not in competition.

3. The profile of the LBS/OBS student is carefully examined provincially, regionally and at individual college sites. The largest and fastest growing segment of college LBS/OBS funded students is those who are employed or recently unemployed: LBS 38%; OBS 52%. These students have already demonstrated the skills necessary to find and maintain employment and are very aware of the self management skills required by employers. A minority of these students are seeking to improve their literacy and numeracy skills or secure a credential, ACE, GED or TOWES, to advance with their current employer. Eighty-six percent of OBS students identify further education as their goal; 78% of LBS students identify further education. In some cases this post secondary program may be related to their current occupation, but for most it is totally unrelated. These people already have the workplace essential skills; they are seeking the sector specific skills provided in post secondary.

This large number of employed students has had a dramatic effect on college programming. Colleges are increasingly accommodating their needs by offering part time evening classes, noon hour tutorials, weekend programming, swing shift scheduling and flexible individualized timetabling. Teachers routinely encourage employed students to bring reading materials and job assignments like report writing and mathematical calculations to the classroom to work on and share with others. Although most are informal workforce activities, some have resulted in forming the basis for learning activities and demonstrations that can be used by other students as part of demonstrations banks. (One college has expressed the reality that not all employers are pleased with having their workplace materials taken from the job site and have not allowed given permission for such activities)

Many employed students seeking to change careers do not see their current jobs as having any literacy or numeracy tasks related to their future goals. These students have made great personal sacrifices to upgrade their academic skills and do not want to participate in any learning activities which they do not perceive to be related to their goal of entering post secondary. Workforce activities and demonstrations must be optional for these students.