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An analysis of a foundational learning program in BC: the Foundations Workplace Skills Program (FWSP) at Douglas College

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  • Gray, David
  • Morin, Louis-Philippe

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the workings of a small-scale program involving foundational learning that is targeted at unemployed workers in Surrey, BC by exploiting information contained in the administrative data set that was compiled through its execution. Although this data set contains huge gaps and has a structure that is far from ideal, it contains some information regarding outcomes for the participants and outputs generated by the operations of the program. We investigate three outcomes for the participants of this program, namely i) a return to work, ii) a return to school, and iii) an improvement in the score obtained from a diagnostic test that gauges literacy and essential skills. We also make recommendations in regards to developing a data set that would be suitable for designing and carrying out an evaluation of labour market interventions such as the one covered in this paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Gray, David & Morin, Louis-Philippe, 2013. "An analysis of a foundational learning program in BC: the Foundations Workplace Skills Program (FWSP) at Douglas College," CLSSRN working papers clsrn_admin-2013-41, Vancouver School of Economics, revised 26 Sep 2013.
    • Handle: RePEc:ubc:clssrn:clsrn_admin-2013-41
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    File URL: http://www.clsrn.econ.ubc.ca/workingpapers/CLSRN%20Working%20Paper%20no.%20123%20-%20Gray%20and%20Morin.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    literacy and essential skills; foundational learning; program evaluation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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