Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
www.hrsdc.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES)
The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES) is focused on improving the literacy and essential skills of adult Canadians. We provide expertise, funding for innovative and dynamic projects and a wide range of learning tools and other resources. We work through the following activities:
- Programming: grants and contributions;
- Building knowledge and expertise: research, analysis and results;
- Tools: development, adaptation and dissemination; and
- Partnerships: with other government departments, provincial and territorial governments, and non-profit organizations.
Through these activities, OLES aims to help Canadians have the skills they need to get a job, stay in the job market and contribute to their communities and families.
Mission
The Government of Canada created OLES with a mission to:
- become an acknowledged centre of expertise on “what works” in improving the literacy and essential skills of adult Canadians;
- integrate literacy and essential skills into existing training and upgrading efforts; and
- influence and leverage skills investments in Canada.
OLES complements the work of provincial and territorial governments in the areas of adult education, training and service delivery. However, it does not fund the direct delivery of literacy and essential skills training.
Understanding Literacy and Essential Skills
Literacy and Essential Skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change.
Through extensive research, the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated nine literacy and essential skills. These skills are used in nearly every occupation and throughout daily life in different ways and at different levels of complexity.
The nine literacy and essential skills are:
