Education and Employability Programs

Education Programs

In all of the women’s institutions women have the opportunity to complete provincially accredited or certified programs which meet their identified education needs to assist them to reintegrate into the community as law-abiding citizens.

The women also have the opportunity to complete post-secondary studies at their own expense.

Employability Programs

Employment and Vocational programs provide current marketable work skills, making offenders better prepared for community employment and which may facilitate their reintegration. CSC has recently developed an Employment Strategy to help focus activities aimed at increasing women’s employability on release.

CSC offers numerous vocational opportunities to help the women develop their portfolio for certification in job safety, WHIMS, food handling, road signing, etc. while they are incarcerated.

The women have the opportunity to prepare a résumé, to learn job searching strategies, and to practice job interviewing skills in the Social Integration Program.

The National Employability Skills Program (NESP) for Women was created to develop or enhance offenders’ employability skills using the model developed by the Conference Board of Canada – Fundamental Skills, Personal Management Skills and Teamwork Skills. Upon completion, offenders receive a nationally-recognized 3^rd party certification from the Conference Board. Two NESPs were designed: one for women and one for men.

NESP prepares offenders for employment upon release, builds offenders’ self-confidence, develops their employability skills portfolio, and assists them to develop realistic goals for employment and to value employment as a means of achieving their own personal potential while they are incarcerated. Following course completion, offenders will be better equipped to keep a job and become more capable of sustained employment, more successful at reintegration and less likely to re-offend.