ABC Skills Hub expands program offering

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from COMMUNITYWIRE

ABC Life Literacy Canada is pleased to announce that its online learning portal, the ABC Skills Hub, has expanded its program offering to include courses aligning with the Skills for Success. Skills for Success include those that are foundational for building on other skills and knowledge and those that are important for effective social interaction. They overlap and interact with each other, and with other technical and life skills.

These skills, which have been identified by the Government of Canada in response to an evolving labour market and changing skill needs, include reading, writing, numeracy, digital, problem solving, communication, collaboration, adaptability, creativity and innovation.

ABC Life Literacy Canada® is a non-profit organization that aims to strengthen organizations that promote adult learning by developing and supporting the use of high-quality introductory learning materials and resources written in clear language. We envision a Canada where everyone has the tools and opportunities they need to improve their literacy and essential skills.

The ABC Skills Hub launched in fall 2020 with the purpose of offering asynchronous, at-home delivery of ABC’s adult literacy programs. UP Skills for Work has recently expanded to include topics on each of the Skills for Success to help adult learners develop the key soft skills needed to gain meaningful employment. UP Skills for Work is made possible with the support of founding sponsor Canada Life.

With the addition of the Skills for Success topics, the ABC Skills Hub now offers 22 online courses. Thirteen work skills courses are currently available, with three more set to launch in the coming months. Additionally, there are courses on financial and civic literacy, with digital literacy courses planned for 2022 and 2023.

The ABC Skills Hub has also expanded its features to include both a teacher portal and an organization portal, where teachers can set up virtual classrooms for learners, and where organizations can keep track of multiple teachers and groups of learners across a variety of courses.

“Adding the Skills for Success topics to the ABC Skills Hub is an important step in helping Canadians develop the necessary skills for a rapidly evolving job market,” says Elizabeth Robinson, Programs Director at ABC Life Literacy Canada. “With the addition of the teacher portal and organization portal, literacy organizations will also be able to further help learners build the skills needed to gain meaningful employment and succeed in their learning.”

The ABC Skills Hub was created with a simple design that will appeal to learners who are looking to improve their digital literacy along with their workplace skills. It adheres to CLAD (Clear Language and Design) principles and prioritizes accessible navigation, from setting up an account, to learning.

“At Canada Life, we invest in educational initiatives that focus on improving literacy and helping provide the skills needed for success,” says Debbie Down, Director, Community Relations, Canada Life. “That’s why we’re proud to support the ABC Skills Hub – because we want to help Canadians reach their full potential. Together, we can make a positive impact in our communities.”

To learn more about the ABC Skills Hub or to set up a free account to start learning, visit abcskillshub.ca.

For more information on literacy and ABC Life Literacy Canada’s programs, visit abclifeliteracy.ca.