Benchmarking Language: CLB/NCLC for Occupations & Professions

1. Benchmarking Language: CLB/NCLC for Occupations & Professions Presented by:Marianne Kayed, Gestionnaire principale et de partenariats, mkayed@language.ca CCLB

2. Outline of Topics • Context • Benchmarking of professions • OLAs (Analyses linguistique des professions) • Standard setting • Employment-related projects • Language Portfolio for Engineers • ECLAB/BELIC for Engineers • Essential Skills (correlation) • Work Ready

3. Why identify language levels for occupations? • Language is always a set of soft skills that are hard to define for employment • More and more employers/sectors want to know what levels are required within the context of a recognized framework/standard • More regulators want to know what level of language is required to work in a profession • Training institutions want to know what level of language is required for entry to training or for entering the workplace

4. Context • The premiers meeting looked at trade in international markets & connected to “Full mobility for Canadians” and to implement amendments to agreements on internal trade (AIT) • Any worker certified for an occupation by a regulatory authority of one province or territory shall be recognized as qualified to practice that occupation by all other provinces and territories; and • Such recognition shall be granted expeditiously without further material training,examinations or assessment requirements • Once certified in Canada, qualified foreign-trained workers will enjoy the same mobility rights as qualified Canadian workers. (The Council of the Federation, Quebec City, July 2008)

5. Pan-Canadian Framework for Assessment & Recognition of Foreign Qualification • Outcome - Pan Canadian framework for Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications by the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (2008) • Defines process and action plan for professions and regulated trades/ occupations • Action Plan was printed in 2009

6. The FQR Framework • Outlines the rules and responsibilities for establishing professional qualifications to assure the safety and protection of the public. In some provinces licensure is regulated. • 4 Principles: Fairness, Transparency, Timeliness, Consistency • Goal is that within one year, an individual will know if his qualifications will be recognized or informed of additional requirements for registration or to be directed towards related occupations commensurate with their skills/experience

7. Year One Professions by Dec. 31, 2010 • Architects • Engineers • Financial Auditors & Accountants • Medical Lab Technologists • Pharmacists • Physiotherapists • Occupational Therapists • Registered Nurses • By Dec. 31/10 these target occupations will have an Action Plan (processes/supports)

8. Year Two Professions by Dec. 31, 2012 • Dentists • Engineering Technicians • Licensed Practical Nurses • Physicians • Teachers (K – 12) CCDA – (Conseil canadien des directeurs De l’apprentissage) will also be tasked with looking at how

9. At CCLB/CNCLC… • Greater awareness by employers, sectors, and counsellors on the importance of language as one of several factors that lead to success in the workplace • Interesting partnerships regionally and nationally plus interest internationally • More sectors looking to hire IEPs • = Higher stakes application of the CLB/NCLC – lots of implications and from a standards perspective, increased rigour and validity of methodology required.

10. Why Use Standards? • A practical, fair means to determine language proficiency • Define proficiency in terms of common human situations and behaviourwhere language is used • Describe what a person is capable of accomplishing or demonstrating through language As part of the global economy, we also more sectors creating and/or working with international standards for employment

11. Gaps Identified with Language

12. Benchmarking of Occupations • Done nationally or pan-Canadian context • Research requires access to worksites---this is only achievable if partners help locate the sites • Can be done in either English and/or French • Project costing varies

13. Why is benchmarking important? • For immigrants and potential immigrants an understanding language skills required to be successful in an occupation in Canada • For employers to understand what communication is demonstrated in terms of the workplace • For informing government employees and policy makers of occupational language levels based on research • For defining standards that meet the needs of regulated professions and trades in what language a person needs to work safely

14. CLB Levels for Nurses Note: The CLB skills are recognized and were used to inform the development of CELBAN Funded only to develop English

15. Initial benchmarking study (2002) • Recognized in 9 provinces and 3 territories for English by nursing regulators • Online Self-Assessment (2005) • Institutional version of CELBAN for IEN’s in Canadian institutions (2008)

16. CLB/NCLC Levels for Engineers Note: CLB/NCLC 8 for entry to practice Benchmarked in one province

17. Model: ECLAB/BELIC (CIC-FCR)

18. Challenge on BELIC pilot • Finding candidates who speak French as a first or second language with engineering backgrounds in or outside of Québec • Major impact on being able to validate the French test versions for high stakes application like licensing • Honoraria now possible

19. CLB/NCLC Levels for OT/PT • CLB/NCLC for Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists for the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators, &the Colleges of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy of Ontario

20. Red Seal Trades (worksites)

21. Red Seal Trade Exams

22. Other benchmarking… • New project to benchmark Pharmacists in English and French (HRSDC) • Variety of occupations, professions, and programs done in Manitoba by RRC (approx. 20) • OELRS program in Alberta (meat industry, construction labourers, currently doing electricians) • JALAS (Job Analysis Language) for Engineering and for Accounting • Medical Lab Technician done in Ontario

23. www.itsessential.ca An OLA is a description of language competencies linked to success in one occupation. Referenced to the CLB, it outlines in a standardized format, speaking, listening, reading and writing competencies and related sample tasks for a given occupation. • OLAs are based on 3 national sources: • Canadian Language Benchmarks • Essential Skills Profiles • National Occupational Standards * Requires an Essential Skill Profile and a National Occupational Standard (NOS).

24. Variety of OLAs & Registry • Food Sector include Retail Florist,Retail Meatcutter, In-store Baker and Cake Decorator • AST, Machinist, Hairstylist (not released) • Coming – 9 Trucking (9 occupations) • ECE and Child Care Supervisor • 14 original tourism OLAs plus 12 more this year • Many developed for Biotech (not released)

25. Benchmarking vs. OLAs Benchmarking OLAs Reviews language as described in ESP and NOS Aligned to NOC codes Provides a benchmark range per skill (e.g. 5 – 8) Includes conditions affecting communication Shorter timeline/reduced costs • Intensive review of language used on the job • Data collected in several sites and regions • Authentic materials gathered, benchmarked • Longer process • More $$ to do

26. OLA Challenges • Capacity for development (CLB and ES)  training and criteria changes • Funding/funders • English/French capacity • Sector councils • Quality Assurance of OLAs/ALPs • Model applauded internationally • Business Model rethought = redefined CCLB/CNCLC’s role to be training, registration, and quality assurance

27. Other Occupational Projects • Language Portfolio for Engineers (funded by Alberta) • Identification for Software and Management for Information and Communication Technology Council (ICTC) of language demands in 15 occupations: 9 occupations in Software and 5 in ICT Management (funded by ICTC) • Various Essential Skills Projects (for teachers, trainers, job analysts) • Work Ready (for HR professionals and counsellors)

28. What I have learned: • Language is often different at work than in training programs or post-secondary • Language for work and appropriate assessment is part of evaluating foreign credentials • Language supports Essential Skills and employability skills in making immigrants successful • Generic language assessments are important for work but so are profession-specific  each measures different things and both types of language are needed in workplaces • Systems need to be aligned to provide easier transitions for immigrants (part of being transparent)

29. Questions for thought • How can CCLB/CNCLC work with you and support you towards common goals or in partnership? • What can we learn from each other?