Workforce WindsorEssex creates learning toolkit for hands-on learning
Workforce WindsorEssex wants educators to encourage more students to get involved in hands-on learning in order to better prepare for their career and the future economic growth of the area.
The organization, which advocates for regional workforce development, has launched a experiential learning toolkit for teachers, parents and employers. The toolkit offers ways to encourage educators to get students out volunteering in organizations across Windsor-Essex.
"There is nothing like real world experience to make a student feel like the knowledge they have is going to be useful in the workplace … to be able to visualize how they will be able to contribute in the workforce," explained Doug Sartori, board president and chair of Workforce WindsorEssex.
The toolkit can be found online and will provide background research on the benefits of experiential learning.
Workforce WindsorEssex has also designed an online learning hub to connects students with employers. Both parties complete an online form that collects information about the kind of opportunity that fits their needs.
"One of the things that is great about experiential learning opportunities is we don't have to worry about the curriculum being up to date … because students are exposed to the actual day to day practices, equipment and tools that are actually used in the real economy," said Sartori.
He believes children in primary education can also benefit from experiential learning by going on field trip and having experts regularly speak to their class.
Valuable experience
Emily Ouellette, a Grade 12 student at École secondaire E.J. Lajeunesse, recently completed a cooking and tourism co-op at Essex Golf and Country Club. Although she doesn't see herself pursuing a career in that field, she says the experience was valuable.
"It's something we don't really get in school, you have to actually have the outside experience to learn how to deal with the real world, it's not just paper and pencil," she said.
Anthony Coral has taken a co-op program at a local automotive clinic and is learning how to detail cars, complete oil changes and safely clean up spills.
"It's just a matter of learning as much as you can now because once you are out of high school nothing is really free," Coral said.
