Learn the workplace language of your profession in Canada

One of the more difficult barriers to employment that internationally trained professionals face is lack of sector-specific language training.  If you are an internationally educated engineer, a medical professional or a teacher, this program is an opportunity you do not want to miss!

LASI World Skills and Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) now provide career-specific language training to groups of internationally trained professionals in three sectors:  engineering, medical professions and education.

This one-year special project is funded through the Enhanced Language Training (ELT) Initiative of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.  In addition to the language/ communication skills training, eligible candidates will also be given support through employment workshops.  The courses start in mid-January 2006.
 

Workplace Language Training for Newcomers (WLTN) provides

• Access to the Career Access for Newcomers program, including information on professional accreditation requirements

• Assessment of language skills

• 8-week job-specific language courses for eligible candidates; 11 hours of instruction a week, taught by qualified instructors with guest speakers; materials and course content are specific to the professional sectors

What is Career-Specific Language Training?

• Teaches the communication skills that professionals need to succeed in the workplace;

• Introduces language that is used in a career context; provides an opportunity to see how professionals communicate in the Canadian workplace;

• Focuses on job-specific “jargon”, language use and practice in the engineering, medical and education professions;

• Develops communicative competence, skills and abilities to communicate in work-related situations that require understanding of Canadian workplace cultures.

Who is Eligible to Take the Training?

Internationally trained newcomer professionals in three sectors (engineering, medical professions and education),
who meet these criteria:

• Are convention refugees, landed immigrants or permanent residents who have not yet become
  Canadian citizens.

• Willing to have English language skills assessed; requirement for the training is Canadian Language Benchmark
  level 7 and above (assessment and referrals available).

• Have participated or will take part in sector-specific and general employment workshops.

What Do Those Who Have Taken Workplace Language Training Say?

“Improved my communication and interview skills that play an important role in finding a job” – internationally trained mechanical engineer, Montreal

 “I used to think clichés in writing were beautiful…I now know more about tone and styles of writing at work; it’s so important in my career!”– internationally trained civil engineer, Toronto

 “I had a hard time organizing my thoughts into sentences…learned a lot about writing and presenting my ideas in the course” – internationally trained pharmacy graduate, Ottawa

 “After taking a language course I feel more confident when I talk to people, thanks to better pronunciation and larger vocabulary I am using”.  Internationally trained teacher, Ottawa

 “An effective course to help newcomers…knowing what to say and how to say it is so important at work…” –internationally trained nurse, Ottawa
 

Who Can I Contact to Find Out More?

For more information, please contact:

Tuula Lindholm, Project Manager
Workplace Language Training for Newcomers (WLTN)

LASI World Skills Inc.
201-219 Argyle Avenue, Ottawa, ON  K2P 2H4

Tel: 613-233-0453, ext. 304, Fax: 613-232-1757

tuula@ottawa-worldskills.org

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