Introduction

This program is designed to meet the unique language, learning and employment needs of immigrant adults.  The academic focus of the program is to develop the English language skills of students for whom English is a second language.  To do this the language skills are developed in the areas of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar.

 

To meet the employment needs of this group, a course is offered in employment strategies which includes resume writing, a chance to practice their interview skills, and opportunities to make telephone contacts.  This is followed by a work experience which enables students to obtain some valuable experience in the workplace and to obtain references from a Canadian employer.

 

Upon completion of the program, students may continue their education in the Academic Upgrading Program at Columbia College, they may pursue their post-secondary education elsewhere, they may attend a career training program, or they may go directly to employment.

 

Program Description

The main goal of the program is to assist students to find work or prepare them for further education by improving their English language skills.

 

Following an assessment test, students are placed at their starting level in the three main strands of reading/writing, listening/speaking, and grammar.  The levels are related to their scores on their CLB test results, so a student may start at level 300 in reading/writing, level 500 in listening/speaking, and level 400 in grammar.  Students may take a course in pronunciation (beginner, intermediate or advanced) to improve their spoken English.  Students are expected to progress one level after three to six months.  The program lasts up to a maximum of 20 months.  Other option courses, such as English for Academic Purposes, TOEFL preparation are available, or computer courses may be available.

 

Students may be assigned to morning classes which run from 8:00 am to 12:20 pm or afternoon classes which run from 12:30 pm to 4:50 pm.  Students must take a minimum of three classes and attend for a minimum of 20 hours per week in order to be considered full-time students.  Students interested in part-time study can also register.

 

Since the use of computers is so important in many jobs, our students have the opportunity to receive an introduction to the use of computers.  This, along with the employment strategies course and opportunities for Work Experience placements, provides our students with a solid foundation to enter the world of work.

 

Through work experience, students experience actual work situations.  They get on-the-job work experience with an employer.  This hands-on experience enables Columbia’s students to learn by doing and get practice relating classroom instruction to an actual work situation.  This experience is critical as today’s employers prefer to hire people who have both theoretical knowledge and previous experience.  Columbia College aims to meet employers’ needs by giving students first-hand experience linking theory with practice.  Work experience is also a very effective means by which students are able to market themselves to potential employers for competitive employment.