2.2.5 Workplace Training

Some colleges and institutes are also delivering programs and services in the workplace. This is done by including work placements for immigrants students during their ESL or career programs; delivering career-focused programs in a workplace setting, in collaboration with a private company; or by delivering contract training for businesses or industry to upgrade immigrant employees’ skills in a specific area whether technical or language skills.

A number of colleges and institutes include credited work placements at the end of technical and ESL programs, including Cégep André-Laurendeau in Montreal, Bow Valley College in Calgary and George Brown College in Toronto. This is viewed as a key strategy for increasing the effectiveness of training programs by providing immigrant students with opportunities to gain Canadian employment experience.

Some examples of innovative practices in the area of workplace training include:

• Langara College has a Resident Care Aid Program that is advertised for new Canadians and is delivered in the workplace so that students are put into real work situations in long-term care facilities and child care facilities and are taught on the job. This is a 17-week program that trains up to 150 people per year, with the majority being immigrants.
• Douglas College has also delivered two programs through contract training for health care facilities to offer upgrading to health workers who were in danger of losing positions because of the move for credentialing in the health field.
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) provides a variation on this by delivering technical upgrading through mobile campuses. For example NAIT has provided on-site training for crane operators that had significant immigrant participation.

2.2.6 Community-based Training

Community-based training is offered through Learning Centres, and programs offered in collaboration with municipal libraries and community groups. For example, Vancouver Community College (VCC), which has a very high proportion of immigrants at both of its main campuses, supports Learning Centres in public libraries that enable students to drop in to work with tutors in a self-paced manner. VCC also delivers classes in community centres, and has a Home Front English Program through which English instructors go to immigrants’ homes to provide ESL training. This is mostly a service for mothers with young children or older immigrants. This program is funded through a provincial government based grant plus tuition fees.

2.3 Advising and Counselling Services

Responding colleges and institutes confirmed that counselling and advising services are offered to all students, including immigrants. Counselling and advising services are provided to assist students with program completion and to facilitate job entry. Colleges and institutes do not typically offer such services specifically for immigrants, however, the survey confirmed that in order to effectively deliver these services within their communities they must take into account immigrant issues.