Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES)

Conestoga College ITAL now offers a new service to students and the public. It is one of 21 Colleges with exclusive rights to use and distribute TOWES in Ontario. This assessment tool is supported by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

The Product

• TOWES (www.towes.com) is a valid and reliable testing tool that can benefit employers, employees and those seeking employment.
• Each level tests three workplace Essential Skills: reading text, document use and numeracy. These skills are the most commonly required in the 200 occupations that have been profiled to date by HRSDC.
• TOWES uses a variety of authentic trade-specific workplace documents in its test materials (schedules, order forms, labels, schematics catalogue entries etc.).
• Successful completion of TOWES at any of the three levels provides a credential for use in seeking employment.
• Unsuccessful applicants should contact askme@conestogac.on.ca for appropriate upgrading before attempting to re-write a test. A minimum wait of 6 weeks is required before any re-write.

Uses

• Employers can use TOWES as a screening tool (as has been done in other parts of Canada) or for succession planning.
• Employees can use TOWES as a means of assessing their current level of proficiency.
• Unemployed individuals can use TOWES to assess their level of proficiency for a particular job category.
• Graduating students can take a TOWES credential to their employment interviews.

Cost and Availability

• Contact Pamela Jadischke, Essential Skills Specialist, 519-885-0300 x 5542, pjadischke@conestogac.on.ca for dates, times and locations of the tests. Testing is available at the Guelph, Waterloo and Stratford Campuses.
• The cost of the test per level is $72.00 + HST. This is a non-refundable fee.
• Photo identification is required to gain admission to write the test.
• Some individuals, particularly those who are unemployed, may qualify for financial assistance to cover the cost of the test.