Quality adult basic education and training or “ABET” is unlocking the true potential of intelligent and motivated employees. Before embarking on their learning journey, they were held back because they lacked the Basic English literacy and basic numbers skills that they needed to perform at optimal levels in the workplace.
Once low skilled employees have completed the English literacy and maths components of adult education and training or “AET” Level 4, they become real assets to their employers. They can apply their English literacy and numeracy skills to communicate fluently verbally and in writing; understand company policies and procedures; count money; take measurements; or participate in stock inventory management.
Moreover, their Basic English literacy and basic numbers skills enable them to use technology, such as computers; solve problems; and make decisions. Completing all the levels of adult basic education and training or “ABET” has also prepared them for further workplace training so that they can add more value to a business. Many employees who have completed adult education and training or “AET” also enrol for foundational learning competence or “FLC” to prime them for vocational training. Foundational learning competence or “FLC” is the next step in their lifelong learning journey. Foundational Learning Competence of “FLC” also focuses on teaching low skilled employees English literacy and basic numbers skills.
Many of these low skilled employees have been trained by Triple E Training as industry’s first point of contact for adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. This leading accredited training provider that has been specialising in adult literacy training and adult numeracy training for more than 30 years.
The accredited training provider’s many clients attest to the benefits of adult basic education and training or “ABET”. They include improvements in productivity and quality of work. This is considering that adult literacy training ensures better internal communication that mitigates misunderstandings between employees and their supervisors and managers. Meanwhile, sound external communications help build long professional relationships with customers and clients. Employees who can read and write in English and have basic numbers skills are able to complete important documentation correctly and understand business communications. They also make fewer errors when capturing important information on a computer. This is an important skill especially in data-capturing roles where there is very little room for error. Information that is captured by these employees helps inform sales and customer-relationship management and market research teams.
Adult education and training or “AET”
Adult basic education and training or “ABET” covers the following learning areas:
- English Language, Literacy and Communication:
Using a range of communication, language and learning strategies in a variety of contexts. - Maths and Mathematical Sciences:
Explaining and use of maths strategies, techniques and patterns to solve problems. - Maths Literacy:
Explaining, selecting and using numbers, data and objects in everyday life situations.
Adult education and training or “AET” comprises the following levels:
- Adult basic education and training or “ABET” Level 1
• Language, Literacy and Communication level 1
• Maths Literacy level 1 - Adult education and training or “AET” Level 2
• Language, Literacy and Communication level 2
• Maths Literacy level 2 - Adult education and training or “AET” Level 3
• Language, Literacy and Communication level 3
• Maths Literacy level 3 - Adult basic education and training or “ABET” Level 4
This Qualification consists of Fundamental, Core and Elective Unit Standards.
The Fundamental Component of adult basic education and training or “ABET” consists of:
• Language, Literacy and Communication or “LLC” Unit Standards, totalling 23 credits.
• Maths Literacy Unit Standards, totalling 16 credits.
Or
• Maths Literacy and Mathematical Sciences, totalling 14 credits.
A learner must choose Maths Literacy or Maths and not a combination of both. Learners must complete all the LLC Unit Standards, totalling 23 credits and either Maths Literacy Unit Standards or the Maths and Maths Sciences Unit Standards, totalling a minimum of 14 credits to give a total of 37 credits for the Fundamental Component.
Adult basic education and training or “ABET” instils confidence in employees
Workplace training involving basic English literacy and basic numeracy instruction improves productivity and quality
When low skilled employees can communicate effectively, which includes asking questions for clarity, and read, there are also fewer accidents in the workplace. This is because they have a sound grasp of occupational health and safety protocol. Moreover, they have a vastly improved understanding of other important company and production protocols, as well as the contribution made by each team member to the success of the business.
Low skilled employees who have completed the accredited training provider’s adult literacy training and adult numeracy training programmes are also more confident when performing their duties.This, in turn, leads to more motivated and engaged employees. When employees are motivated, absenteeism and staff turnover also decline. This is another reason enterprising companies invest significantly in adult literacy training and adult numeracy training.
Basic numbers skills and English literacy skills requirements differ from one organisation and industry to the next. They are closely linked to various tasks which are constantly changing, motivating the need for ongoing investment in adult education and training or “AET”.
For example, log yard operators in the timber industry will use their basic English literacy and numeracy skills in many ways, starting with pre-start and shut-down inspections on stackers. They will also read signs in the log yard; a log yard and processing plan; as well as company procedures. In exercising their duties, they will speak and listen to truck drivers and slash deck operators using radio telephone or hand signals. These employees will also calculate load sizes, measure logs using callipers or tapes and read log markings. They will also have to read and respond correctly to correspondence from supervisors and managers. This is addition to reading meeting agendas and minutes with understanding so that they can implement actions and instructions precisely to avoid bottlenecks. Log yard operators will also be expected to complete forms, such as reject documentation, and shift logs, while also using their English literacy skills when participating in team meetings.
Construction workers will use their basic numbers skills to take accurate measurements and convert between various units of measure which relies on an understanding of equations. They will also use ratios frequently to determine proportions of length to height, for example. In some instances, they will also need to understand the principles of geometry. Depending on the type of work that they perform, they may also have to be proficient in English communication, which includes an ability to read. English literacy also assists with inter-personal skills, a prerequisite for any construction employee who usually works in large teams and interacts with many people during a single work shift.
Basic English and Numeracy skills for low skilled employees
Honing workers’ English and maths skills with quality workplace training
Low skilled employees who have completed the accredited training provider’s adult literacy training programmes will have an English vocabulary that comprises general academic and words that are specific to their industry and their respective roles at the company. They will be able to understand simple conversations and language. They will also have the ability to listen for specific information and know exactly what to do when there is a break in listening comprehension. Employees who have completed adult literacy training can listen carefully when engaging with team members, supervisors and managers. Moreover, they will be able to respond and use appropriate language to manage simple interactions and negotiate meaning. Employees will also be aware of the conventions that they need to adhere to when interacting with other people and have an ability to use oral text types when conversing. Low skilled employees who have completed Triple E Training’s workplace training will also have an ability to select and communicate information, ideas and thoughts using proper words and phrases.
After completing our adult literacy training, low skilled employees reading skills will also be of a required standard. They will use their English literacy skills to fluently decode specialised words, including those that consist of many syllables. Furthermore, low skilled employees will have a reading vocabulary that includes general academic and words that are specific to their industry and the respective tasks that they performing their world of work. Importantly, they will be able to monitor their reading for accuracy and sense. Employees will also be able to recognise the features and structures of a range of visual text forms that can be combined with or included in written texts. They will also use their English comprehension abilities to understand information and ideas in longer or more complex text. Furthermore, employees will be aware of the different purposes of visual and written texts.
English literacy for quality workmanship
English vocabulary for good written communication
After they have completed their workplace training, low skilled employees will also be able to write in English. They will also understand the purpose and audience of their writing. Moreover, they will have a vocabulary that is suited to the writing task, while also possessing a store of many English words that can be written automatically and accurately. Low skilled employees who have completed our workplace training programmes will also be able to use basic grammar and punctuation to construct short, simple and compound sentences.
This is in addition to being able to use basic features of some common text types. Our adult literacy training programmes also provide employees with the knowledge that they need to identify and organise a limited number of ideas around a familiar topic. They also know how to review and then revise writing by affecting a few simple changes to the content based on re-reading and feedback.
Meanwhile, the accredited training provider’s adult numeracy training enables employees to provide and follow instructions for movement that entails distance and directions. Low skilled employees will also know how to use their basic numbers skills to select and use appropriate standard units and instruments to take measurements. Moreover, they will be able to use common benchmarks to select appropriate methods for estimating measurements. Once they have completed their workplace training, employees will also have a sound grasp of place value, basic addition and subtraction facts, as well as number sequence. They will also be able to use partitioning strategies to calculate, while also being able to solve problems that involve proportions and ratios.
Percentage of adults (aged 20+) with less than Grade 7 education
| Year | General household survey of the year | General household survey of 2009 | General household survey of 2013 |
| 2002 | 28.9 | 27.9 | 27.3 |
| 2003 | 27.4 | 26.2 | 25.5 |
| 2004 | 26.5 | 25 | |
| 2005 | 25.6 | 24.8 | 24.2 |
| 2006 | 25.1 | 23.7 | |
| 2007 | 23.7 | 23.2 | 22.7 |
| 2008 | 22.4 | 22.4 | |
| 2009 | 19.7 | 19.7 | 19.3 |
| 2010 | 19.2 | 18.8 | |
| 2011 | 18.1 | 17.7 | |
| 2012 | 16.5 | 16.5 | |
| 2013 | 16.2 | 16.2 |
Functionally illiterates among those aged 15+ with less than Grade 7 [General Housing Surveys 2009 to 2013]
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | ||
| Read | Unable to do | 1536000 | 1536000 | 1 582 000 | 1 498 000 | 1 542 000 |
| A lot of difficulty | 538000 | 517 000 | 491 000 | 467 000 | 485 000 | |
| Total | 2 074 000 | 2 047 000 | 2 073 000 | 1 965 000 | 2 027 000 | |
| Write a letter | Unable to do | 1 662 000 | 1 760 000 | 1 786 000 | 1 641 000 | 1 737 000 |
| A lot of difficulty | 577 000 | 571 000 | 533 000 | 510 000 | 473 000 | |
| Total | 2 239 000 | 2 331 000 | 2 319 000 | 2 151 000 | 2 210 000 | |
| Fill in a form | Unable to do | 2 087 000 | 2 249 000 | 2 198 000 | 2 122 000 | 2 261 000 |
| A lot of difficulty | 800 000 | 877 000 | 807 000 | 747 000 | 700 000 | |
| Total | 2 887 000 | 3 126 000 | 3 005 000 | 2 961 000 | 2 869 000 |
Numeracy skills of adults aged 15 + with no or less than Grade 7 level of education [General Housing Surveys 2009 to 2013]
| Numeracy | Calculating change should received | No difficulty | 67% | 71% | 73% | 74% | 76% |
| Some difficulty | 11% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 7% | ||
| A lot of difficulty | 6% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 4% | ||
| Unable to do | 16% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 12% |
Adult literacy training and Adult numeracy training
Measuring your investment and a detailed plan for workplace training
Most of Triple E Training’s clients have been able to measure their return on investment into workplace training. This includes adult literacy training and adult numeracy training that they undertake to improve production and efficiencies.
They benchmark the progress made by their employees in their jobs since they first started participating in adult basic education and training or “ABET”. This is undertaken using measures and indicators that are informed by a robust workplace training plan, which Triple E Training has helped them to develop. The workplace training plan clearly identifies the problems that are being experienced in the workplace as a result of substandard literacy and numeracy skills. It also outlines the training interventions that will help address these problems.
However, the accredited training provider’s clients also take pride in the fact that their adult literacy training and adult numeracy training programmes are also benefiting their employees outside of the world of work.
Their investment into the accredited training provider’s workplace training programmes has provided low skilled employees with the proficiencies they need to use a computer and the internet in an increasingly digital world. Once they have completed Triple E Training’s adult literacy training and adult numeracy training, employees are also able to understand and critically evaluate digital media. This is in addition to creating content and communicating via a plethora of available digital platforms.
Moreover, they can make informed judgements and effective decisions regarding the use and management of their moneyto help provide financial stability.
Adult literacy training and adult numeracy training also provides people with the skills needed to obtain and understand basic health information that will improve their livelihoods.
Learn how Triple E Training, an accredited training provider, is able to assist you with your adult literacy training and adult numeracy training requirements.
