Algonquin College is the largest college in Eastern Ontario and the third largest in the province. The college is respected as having the most comprehensive and most innovative Language Institute in Eastern Ontario. Being part of a well-connected institution is ideal in providing language training for adults. Since 1989, Algonquin College has offered contracts to federal, provincial and municipal levels of government; workplace contracts in high-tech companies in the Ottawa-Carleton region; and international contracts with the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE).

All our language teachers are well qualified and carefully selected. They hold a university degree in arts or a degree in education, as well as a Certificate in Teaching English/French as a Second Language and have a minimum of 400 teaching hours of experience. Teachers, who work on contract with Algonquin College, bring a wealth of experience to their workplace assignments. They recognize the special requirements of the technical work environment. In addition, they understand the necessity for "relevance" in materials designed for workplace language training. They are accustomed to adapting authentic documents to suit the needs of particular learners. Teachers selected for contracts possess three important qualities: flexibility, knowledge of the workplace culture, and resourcefulness.

In the delivery of workplace contracts, Algonquin College instructors have adapted material to meet the specific needs of learners. Instructors have designed curriculum modules to reflect the changes in both provincial and academic approaches to language training (e.g. communicative approach, learner-centred approach, task-based). They are accustomed to adapting the materials at hand to the needs of a particular group of learners. In addition they have developed customized training materials for workplace language training to support learning for practical and motivational purposes. Teachers in our programs are in tune with the demands for flexible programs that meet specific needs of learners who must in turn, meet the demands of their careers and personal goals, while keeping up with changes in the work environment. Ongoing professional development, in particular training specific to the "real time" needs of employees, has become a necessity in every environment. Algonquin College has the expertise and experience to provide language training that will bring participants measurable progress.

In addition to a full complement of French and English courses designed to help learners at all levels from Beginner to Advanced, faculty in our department have developed bilingualism readiness courses geared to meet the needs of federal government employees who must demonstrate proficiency at levels "A", "B" and "C". Experienced, professional instructors are prepared to design courses that will assist employees who face similar challenges.

Firstly, contact the Coordinator, Language Training Contracts at the Language Institute to discuss your specific company needs with regard to language training. The coordinator will then arrange for the employee(s) to be tested to determine the level of language proficiency. Each employee has a personal interview with a tester and the company receives a written evaluation of the test, with a training plan and recommendation of the number of hours required to achieve the employee's goals.
The coordinator will then prepare a contract outlining the language services which will be provided by Algonquin College, and the teacher will get in touch with the department or employee(s) in order to schedule the classes. The teacher is provided with the test results, and the particular requirements of the student and organization are then incorporated into curricula and learning plans.

The Institute has been able to provide services to a diverse base of ESL and FSL clients, requiring skills for literacy, social and functional communication, employability, and further education within the components of reading, writing, grammar, and social-cultural guidance. Our professionalism has been recognized by satisfied clients from private industry, such as Giant Tiger, Mitel, and Corel, and regional and federal governments, including the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Health Canada, The Department of Public Works, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Canada Post Corporation.