Occupational Training Resources
Definition of Occupational/Workforce Training
Workforce training — AEFLA funds may only be used for training when that training is offered as a component of an approved IET. Services may include:
- occupational skills training, including training for nontraditional employment;
- on-the-job training;
- incumbent worker training (see definition);
- programs that combine workplace training with related instruction, which may include cooperative education programs;
- training programs operated by the private sector;
- skill upgrading and retraining;
- entrepreneurial training;
- transitional jobs;
- job readiness training provided in combination with services described in any of the items 1-8 above;
- adult education and literacy activities, including activities of English language acquisition and integrated education and training programs, provided concurrently or in combination with services described in 1-7 above; and
- customized training conducted with a commitment by an employer or group of employers to employ an individual upon successful completion of the training.
Offering IET with Workforce Training at a Distance
As more educational and training institutions move to virtual platforms, IET programs are also adapting to the new reality of distance learning. Below are resources for continuing IET programming at a distance. This list will grow as more training opportunities move to virtual and distance platforms.
See this Postsecondary Credentials with Training and Credentials Available Online.
For occupational training integration at a distance, programs in Virginia are
- Working with training partners to develop training videos and online options for instruction, especially for jobs that include a skills component in their certification, such as C.N.A. and NCCER-related fields.
- Utilizing training partners’ online offerings, such as those available through the Community College Workforce Alliance and other colleges.
- Keeping learners engaged with stackable online credentials, such as OSHA 10 and NCCER Core.
- Refocusing IET offerings to include postsecondary training and credentials that can be completed online. See the list above.
Occupational Training Resources
Whenever possible, use the occupational training provider’s materials and resources. When those are unavailable, or additional support is needed, consider the resources below to contextualize academic and workplace readiness preparation.
The NYSED/CUNY CareerKit project is a comprehensive career preparation resource for adult literacy and ESOL programs from New York State. It provides lessons teachers and counselors can use with students to explore careers while at the same time practicing literacy and numeracy skills. This site contains selected activities from the CareerKits, provides supplementary materials for use with CareerKit activities and lends support to the field to implement career pathways into adult basic education, high school equivalency preparation, and ESOL instruction.
The Kentucky Skills U Lesson Bank is a repository of standards-based units and lessons created by Kentucky Skills U instructors.
This is a 2016 resource from LINCS, author Jayme Adelson-Goldstein highlights five key concepts underlying rigorous, contextualized English language instruction that aim to prepare learners for further education and careers:
- Identifying future pathways: career awareness, career exploration, and goal setting;
- Learning-to-learn: direct instruction and practice with the study skills needed for workplace training and technical education;
- Developing workplace and training vocabulary: strategies and tasks that support autonomous vocabulary learning strategies;
- Demonstrating soft skills: skills that lead to increased employability; and
- Problem solving: scenarios and higher level thinking tools to address cross-cultural workplace issues.
Adelson-Goldstein reiterates the call for instruction that integrates the skills needed for transitioning successfully to postsecondary education or employment for learners at all levels of English language proficiency, including beginning literacy.
To customize your search in this collection, on the left-side column, click “Career Pathways” under Topic Area, then scroll down and under Resource Type, click on “Instructional Material.”