As the exploration of new models for delivery at the workplace continued during the first and second periods of time, an innovative approach created by the labour sector became popular. The Basic Education and Skills Training (BEST) program, which was started by the Ontario Federation of Labour, attracted a great deal of attention and interest due to its focus on labour peer teaching and functional curriculum development. This model spread to other provinces—Saskatchewan as the WEST program, and British Columbia as JUMP. Also, throughout the last two periods of the Business and Labour Partnership Program, a key activity sponsored by the Conference Board of Canada recognized the outstanding program efforts made by business. The annual Conference Board of Canada Excellence in Workplace Literacy Awards and its accompanying Directory of Canadian programs continues to be a cornerstone for the field of workplace education.

Another project that spanned the last two Program periods was the development of the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES). This work was groundbreaking for many reasons. It built on a major HRSDC research initiative that identified the nine essential skills required for entry-level jobs across a wide range of employment sectors. Bow Valley College led this multi-year project with Skillplan, (BC Construction Industry Skills Improvement Council) in the initial years, and the test itself, which is used by all stakeholder groups across the country, has also attracted attention outside of Canada. This work has also been instrumental in the twinning of essential skills with workplace literacy.

In addition, many projects over the three periods of time have resulted in publications or reports that were used for specific training activities and events. For example, the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters “Business Results through Literacy” publication has been used with many businesses that were looking for a starting point into workplace literacy. The Research-in-Practice workshops have help practitioners to understand the writing process so as to submit their publications to the journal Literacies. Other reports have also been used in the workplace education practitioner conferences in Nova Scotia, while the Sector Councils have produced manuals in healthcare, pulp and paper, oil and gas. The same is true for the clear language movement.