Workplace literacy programmes

Many New Zealand adults struggle with everyday work tasks that require clear oral communication, reading, writing and numeracy skills. Even low skilled jobs can have surprisingly complex workplace literacy and numeracy requirements.

If employees' literacy skills fall short of workplace requirements, then inefficiencies, errors and miscommunication can affect organisational performance. That's where Workplace Literacy Programs can help.

Skills

Since 1991, more than 100 organisations and many thousands of individuals have benefited from our Workplace Literacy Programmes. These government subsidised small-group literacy, numeracy and communication training programmes are run at your workplace at times convenient to your business. The programmes are delivered over an extended period, which gives participants time to fully develop and retain essential skills such as:

• improved communication
• enhanced writing skills
• improved reading skills
• improved numeracy skills
• problem solving

Find out more about the process we follow when planning and implementing workplace literacy and numeracy programmes.

Tasti Products video case study

Workplace programme learning outcomes

Workplace literacy programmes are tailored to meet organisations' and employees' specific needs, so course content will vary accordingly. A programme may focus on reading skills, writing skills, numeracy skills and/or communication skills. Expected outcomes may include the following:

Communication skills

Participants will learn how to:

• check that they have understood instructions
• communicate more effectively with other team members, supervisors and managers
• ask questions
• offer suggestions and present ideas
• deal more effectively with internal and external customers.

Reading skills

Participants will improve their reading skills by learning how to read and understand:

• signage
• policies
• operating procedures
• job sheets
• client notes
• other workplace documents.

Writing skills

Participants will improve their writing skills by learning how to correctly enter details in:

• reports
• shift handover notes
• machine logs
• quality control records
• health and safety reports
• other workplace documents.

Numeracy skills

Participants will improve their numeracy skills by learning how to:

• take accurate measurements
• convert measurement units (e.g. metres to millimetres)
• use scaling, ratios and proportions
• correctly calculate quantities, distances, etc.
• estimate quantities, distances, etc.
• check calculations for accuracy.

Problem solving skills

Participants will improve their problem solving skills by learning how to:

• tell their supervisors when there is a problem
• understand their job's contribution to a wider process
• understand their organisation's quality requirements
• take appropriate action to provide high quality goods or services
• understanding their organisations's quality requirements