Marilyn Luft

Twelve years as an independent consultant in essential skills have given Marilyn a broad range of experience in almost every aspect of the field. Starting as a project manager for the Flint Canada Workplace Literacy program in Western Canada, she has since worked as an essential skills researcher and profiler in the construction and food processing industry. Marilyn was the Alberta member on the Canadian research team for Workplace Education Development that resulted in the writing of the WED Practitioner’s Guide to Customizing Accreditation Curricula in Workplace Education. Marilyn has customized and delivered a number of workplace reading and math courses including ERIC, (Effective Reading in Context) and WIN (Working in Numeracy). Currently working through NorQuest College, Marilyn continues to consult with colleges on the integration of workplace essential skills into employment and training curricula and programs.

Pat Salt

Pat Salt is the Coordinator of Special Projects at Bow Valley College (Calgary). She has just completed a five year award-winning CIDA-funded project in Zimbabwe which focussed on the creation of an integrated entrepreneurship training model for vocational centres, the establishment of occupational standards for apprenticeship and trade testing, and the incorporation of Workplace Essential Skills into training and assessment practices. Pat also (as a private consultant) develops and delivers training curricula, works as an essential skills profiler for HRDC, writes proposals and reports, and edits and writes manuals. Pat has conducted training sessions across sub-Saharan Africa, in the former Czechoslovakia, in Germany, Chile and Brazil. She also coordinates WWestnet and organizes training events.

Jonas Sammons

Jonas Sammons is a consultant in the areas of business, workplace education and training. He has been VP of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, MB Division. From 1991 to 1997, Jonas served as Director for the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Manitoba. He has lectured in the MBA program and taught courses in New Venture Analysis, Entrepreneurship, and Marketing. Jonas spent seven summers as Co-Director of the Summer Institute in Enterprise Education and Entrepreneurship at the U of M. He serves on the MB Quality Network, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, and UNEVOC boards.