Yorkton, SK – Parkland College teamed up with Parkland Regional Library on Thursday to co-host an Essential Skills Day celebration in Yorkton. The event at the Yorkton Co-op Food Store was staged as an opportunity to share the importance of Essential Skills with employers and the public.

Essential Skills Day began in 2010 as an effort to raise awareness and celebrate the importance of nine Essential Skills as defined by the Government of Canada. These are reading, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, thinking, computer use, and continuous learning.

“We all need a good set of Essential Skills to succeed in work and everyday life. We’re using them pretty much all the time,” said Gail Gorchynski, Essential Skills Consultant at Parkland College.

“Essential Skills serve as the foundation for learning all other skills, whether work related or a hobby. We know that when Essential Skills development is emphasized, everyone benefits.”

Canadian employers have reported that improved literacy skills result in increased retention, productivity, ability to work independently, and increased usage of new technology. Improved skills also reduce absenteeism, health and safety incidents, and error rates. Meanwhile, employees who participate in Literacy and Essential Skills programs increase their level of self-confidence, acquire new skills, are better prepared to seek promotion opportunities, and believe that they are valued by their workplaces.

Yorkton Co-op is one example of a local employer that has taken advantage of Parkland College’s customized Essential Skills training. The partnership set out to respond to Co-op’s specific needs for its employees. Staff members were trained in projects that focused on development and retention.

“The Essential Skills are used in everyday life in the community and in family literacy,” said Parkland Regional Library Literacy Coordinator Linda Jones, adding that Essential Skills information will be integrated with family literacy programming that takes place at libraries in the region. The library is also looking at providing training opportunities for computer use and other essential skills for youth and adults.

“I have always liked the ABC Life Literacy saying, ‘Learning happens in everything we do’,” Jones continued. “That applies to Essential Skills – we aim to help families be aware of and use their everyday opportunities.”

For more on Essential Skills Day, please visit ABC Life Literacy at essentialskillsday.ca.

Information about Parkland College’s Essential Skills training programs can be found on the college’s website at parklandcollege.sk.ca/programs/adultbasiced/wes.html.

About Us:
Since its inception in 1973, Parkland College has worked to expand the philosophy of life-long learning in East Central Saskatchewan. Among the seven basic principles upon which the community college system was founded is the idea that programs are to be developed in response to the needs of the community. Today, Parkland College offers a broad spectrum of educational services from trades training and high school upgrading to the province’s most diverse off-campus university offerings.

-30-

For more information contact:
Brendan Wagner
Communications Officer
Parkland College
Phone: 306.728.6595
Email: b.wagner@parklandcollege.sk.ca

Yorkton, SK – Parkland College awarded $53,740 in entrance scholarships to 27 students from across east-central Saskatchewan at its awards ceremony at the Gallagher Centre in Yorkton on September 25.

All the students being recognized have chosen to gain either university or technical skills at one of Parkland College’s five campuses.

The scholarships are made possible through the generosity of local businesses and organizations, community members, Parkland College staff, the annual Dollars for Scholars Golf Classic, and the Ministry of Advanced Education’s Saskatchewan Innovation & Opportunity Scholarship program.

The Saskatchewan Innovation & Opportunity Scholarship program is a matching program in which funds are provided on a dollar-for-dollar basis with local non-government donors.  For every dollar raised locally, the province will match that dollar to support scholarships for high academic achievers.

This fall marks the first time that the Yorkton Tribal Council (YTC)/Parkland College Studentship Award is being presented to a deserving applicant from one of the six member First Nations of YTC. In July, YTC announced it will generously provide a $150,000 scholarship donation to Parkland College for individuals in post-secondary programming. The gift will be allocated each year through 2017. Parkland College will award up to $40,000 in 2014, and $80,000 in each of the final three years of the agreement (contingent on the availability of the province’s matching grant). Scholarships are awarded in increments ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on the students’ program tuition and materials, transportation costs, and living expenses.

Contributors to this fall’s entrance scholarships also include R H Electric, Farrell Agencies, RBC Royal Bank, SaskTel, CUPE 4980, SIAST, Painted Hand Casino, Victory Safety & Training, Kardynal Transport, Tourism Saskatchewan, Richardson Oilseed, Logan Stevens Construction, Grain Millers, Gardon Securities, Myers & Associates, A + K Architects, Corey Fransishyn, Dr. Ken Cottenie and Dr. Cody Bowtell, Royal Drug Mart, GX 94/Fox FM, Leon Ram Companies, Loucks Pharmacy, Mosaic Potash Esterhazy, the Canadian Federation of University Women – Yorkton, and Dollars for Scholars Golf Classic participants and sponsors.

Students interested in learning more about scholarship opportunities at Parkland College are encouraged to stop by one of the five campuses in Canora, Esterhazy, Fort Qu’Appelle, Melville or Yorkton, or visit scholarships.parklandcollege.sk.ca to view scholarship opportunities. Internal scholarships for students enrolled in Parkland College programs will be awarded in March 2014. Applications for those awards will be available to students in December and January.

About Us:
Parkland College provides scholarships to local students pursuing post-secondary education. Contributions to the Scholarship Initiative help Parkland College maintain the ability to contribute to the education and training of residents in the Parkland area. The initiative positively impacts the lives of individuals and families, as well as communities and businesses within the Parkland region. This is the 16th year that Parkland College has offered scholarships to students enrolled in full-time or part-time courses.

-30-

For more information contact:
Brendan Wagner
Scholarship Committee Chairperson
Parkland College
Phone: 306.728.6595
Email: b.wagner@parklandcollege.sk.ca

Yorkton, SK – On Thursday, September 26, Parkland College and Parkland Regional Library will host a barbecue and information event to mark Essential Skills Day. The general public and employers are welcome to attend this free event at:

Yorkton Co-op Food Store
30 Argyle Street, Yorkton, Saskatchewan
Thursday, September 26 at 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The event will include grilled hot dogs, background on Essential Skills, and fun games. Parkland College and Parkland Regional Library representatives will be on hand to answer questions and provide information.

Essential Skills Day raises awareness and celebrates the importance of the nine Essential Skills as defined by the Government of Canada. These skills are reading, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, thinking, computer use, and continuous learning.

Essential Skills are needed for nearly every job and daily life, and are the foundation for learning all other skills. Improving the Essential Skills of workers has tremendous impact for both the employee and employer, including higher retention rates, improved safety, and increased productivity.

Parkland College and Parkland Regional Library are pleased to co-host this Essential Skills Day event as an opportunity to inform employees and executives about the importance of the Essential Skills.

About Us:
Since its inception in 1973, Parkland College has worked to expand the philosophy of life-long learning in East Central Saskatchewan. Among the seven basic principles upon which the community college system was founded is the idea that programs are to be developed in response to the needs of the community. Today, Parkland College offers a broad spectrum of educational services from trades training and high school upgrading to the province’s most diverse off-campus university offerings.

-30-

For more information contact:
Brendan Wagner
Communications Officer
Parkland College
Phone: 306.728.6595
Email: b.wagner@parklandcollege.sk.ca