Contract Services Delivers Needed Programs

FR“: Capilano College instructors
are teaching ESL at the Forest
Worker Transition Centre in
Vancouver. “It is estimated that there
are almost 5,000 displaced forestry
workers in the Lower Mainland who
may be eligible for this program,” says
Nancy Nowlan, coordinator of
Contract Services, the department
delivering the program.

The Centre is funded by Forest
Renewal BC (FRBC). All eligible
forestry workers may receive
substantial assistance with retraining
and income support over a two-year
period under the Forest Worker

Transition Program, locally-managed

by former Capilano College faculty Members of one of the first ESL classes at the Forest Worker Transition Centre.

member Catherine Dawson. Since

approximately 30% of them have ESL to continue. Two participants at the
needs, their first priority is to improve intermediate level will move on to other
their English. The ESL classes focus on __ training programs, while the remaining
practical workplace-based English and eight have already entered a second

English needed for the job search three-month ESL class with Lynn.
process. Meanwhile, four other ESL classes of 10
Lynn Horvatt is an instructor and to 15 people per class are being taught

program facilitator of the ESL training simultaneously at the Centre.

program. She just finished delivery of a Faculty in Contract Services, in
three-month program to 10 former partnership with the Vancouver East
forestry workers, all of whom Community Skills Connection, are also

completed the program and are anxious —_ conducting vocational assessments of all

nternational Programs

has a new contract with
the Hansol Education
Group in Korea. The first
group of 55 young women
were here in mid-March for
one month. Since all of the
students are teacher trainees,
their instruction is set up in
ESL/ECCE training.

Contract Services faculty,
Glenda Hofmann, made the
contacts, negotiated with the
Koreans, developed the

These three students are practising ordering
food in English. This type of role-playing _ :
ensures that they get it right when it counts in program and facilitates it as
real-life situations. well! On campus she’s had

the workers who pass through the Centre.
The assessments are a starting point for
workers in their career planning, which
includes the development of an action
plan. Jan Shiell and Terry Byrnes
provide feedback on assessment results,
counselling and labor market information
to the workers.

“Off-site instruction is a logistical
challenge,” notes Nowlan, “But we have
terrific people who just get the job done.”

Submitted by Lauren Mulholland

Korean Partnership a Successful
Addition to Contract Services

assistance from Ruth Stec, student teaching
assistants, Homestay families, Lois Rennie
from ECCE and Janet MacDonald,
manager of the Child Care Centre. “Janet
gave very informative tours to the students,”
says Glenda, “She worked with me to create
assignments so that the students could
become familiar with Canadian-style child
care.

In a graduation ceremony on Friday, April
11, the Korean students entertained their
new friends with a musical medley, skits,
Macarena dancing with the audience, and a
beautiful Korean song. “There were lots of
tears at the final farewell,” adds Hofmann.

Submitted by Lauren Mulholland

@nformer