One of TIOW’s (Targeted Initiative for Older Workers) objectives is to encourage older workers to improve their Essential Skills and increase their employability. It is increasingly important for older workers to refresh the skills they haven’t used in a while in order to compete and participate in today’s knowledge and information based economy.
Particularly important are computer skills, and to keep up-to-date TIOW, in partnership with Corporate Training, has added computer training as a core piece of the program’s delivery. This component allows participants to become more skilled at navigating the internet, researching, filing, saving, creating and emailing resumes and cover letters, and to discover features of several programs they did not know were available. This has enabled participants to use the computer more effectively for their job search, and has boosted the confidence and employability of once hesitant computer users.
TIOW participants also use on line assessment and tutorials such as ESOT (Essential Skills for Ontario’s Tradespeople) and Measure UP to identify their strengths and update other Essential Skills such as numeracy, document use and reading text.
Essential Skills up-skilling allows TIOW participants to present themselves to employers as candidates who don’t struggle with common tasks, are able to adapt to change, and embrace technical skills, and offer employers a productive employee who will contribute to workplace success.
Ann Marie Gilroy - Manager, “Targeted Initiatives for Older Workers” Program
