How Students are using the OSP

“The OSP website is fantastic!  I am interested in becoming a veterinarian and I was able to research the Essential Skills I'll need and complete English assignments relevant to my career choice.”
Alyson Arnold, T.R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education

“While using the OSP in my Co-operative Education class, I am able to learn so much about the duties and responsibilities of a cook at a restaurant. It's really a great website to help me update my cover letter and résumé for my portfolio and future employment. I will definitely keep this website bookmarked.”
Patience Nhodza, high school OYAP student, Rick Hansen Secondary School

“I like the idea of using the OSP Work Plan in my co-op placement since it helps me see all the Essential Skills and work habits that I have. I use this information to update my OSP Tracker and my résumé. My goal is to one day be a middle school teacher.”
Julia Rodrigo, high school co-op student, Bendale Business and Technical Institute

“Being in my second year of OYAP, the OSP has allowed me to focus on the Essential Skills that are required for me to continue as an apprentice in Auto Service.  The OSP has helped me to identify the specific skills that I need to develop in order to achieve my certification in the future”.
Harjit Ghatora, high school OYAP student, Rick Hansen Secondary School

“l really enjoyed learning all about the Essential Skills in my grade 10 Careers class.  The Essential Skills taught me what I needed to know in order to be successful in my future career, and that there are different levels to which I can develop my skills.  This is a great tool for everyone, whether they are already working or still in school. Overall I would say that Essential Skills are an Essential part of any career.”
Meaghan Duggan, Grade 10 Student, Rick Hansen SS

“The OSP has given me the chance to look at the Essential Skills needed for a career in teaching in a new light. It has allowed me to consistently monitor my performance when referring to my Essential Skills development and has been a clear indicator of the tasks and duties needed at my workplace.”
Daniel Theriault, high school co-op student, Rick Hansen SS

“The OSP website was beneficial to me because I was able to see the tasks I would need to do in my field of interest. The website pointed out the skills required in this field and helped me create a plan to reach my goal.”
Ainsley McDonald, student, T.R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education

“I find the OSP a great and effective tool that all students should utilize. The OSP allowed me a greater understanding of the career I plan to succeed in.”
Aaron Sabourin, student, T.R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education

How Teachers and Employment Counsellors are using the OSP

“My comment is related to adolescent mental health, resilience and the importance of teaching students about the Essential Skills and Work Habits in the OSP.  I believe the ability to recognize and name the skills that they have successfully used can help to build this resiliency.”  Show More/Hide...

Angela McKay, Health Care Technology Teacher, York Region DSB

“I have used the occupational profiles and sample workplace tasks on the OSP to design learning activities that enable students to explore career interests while meeting curriculum expectations.  It's a great tool for engaging students.”
Jeff Ballantyne, English Teacher, T.R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education, Upper Canada District School Board

“Although Essential Skills are essential to being successful, students may not naturally make the connection between what they are doing in school to what they will be doing in the workplace. Many students are unaware of the importance of the Essential Skills in the workplace. They may equate schoolwork – since it is assessed and evaluated and assigned marks – as the primary focus of their school day. They may not recognize that the activities they are completing are helping them to develop skills and work habits that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.” 
Janice Dyke, Teacher, William Lyon Mackenzie C.I., Toronto DSB

“The OSP is a great tool for job developers to work with clients and employers to create relevant training plans and accurate job postings, and it assists in the evaluation of a client’s progress while on a placement.”
Sean Fletcher, Job Developer, John Howard Society of Durham Region, Job Connect Program

 “I like using the OSP because it provides easy-to-use resources and tools for clients in literacy and other Employment Ontario programs.”
Lorri Sauvé, Public Education and Program Coordinator, Project READ Literacy Network

"I found the Ideas for Introducing Learners to Essential Skills and Work Habits in Kindergarten to Grade 6 useful to help guide students through the Essential Skills and work habits. I used the My Essential Skills and My Work Habits assignments and Reference Sheets as well as the Volunteer Job Postings and Researching a Career resources with my Grade 4 students. The students really enjoyed learning about new jobs and the skills they use. I think that it is really important for students to start making the connection between what they do now and what they will do in the future. It is important for students to be able to identify different skills and how they apply to both their everyday lives and potential careers. It is amazing to see the students identify their strengths and take pride in skills and work habits they have developed. It is also valuable for the students to use these skills and work habits as a foundation for their goal-setting". 
Natalie Mieles, Elementary Teacher, Queen Elizabeth Public School, Waterloo Region DSB

How Employers are using the OSP

“I find that the OSP Work Plan is a really great tool for me to use as a workplace supervisor with my co-op student. It's a great way of communicating with students their abilities and strengths, and how they can benefit from them in their future career plans.”
Saj McKenley, Co-op student’s supervisor

“We are always looking for great talent.”
“Our criteria for selection includes: a positive attitude, individuals that love working with customers and have a desire to improve their skill set through continuous learning. We are dedicated to on-the-job training and performance feedback which allows associates to advance in their career at the Home Depot. The OSP subscribes to the same philosophy as Home Depot – an environment to develop your skills, prepare for a challenging career and constant feedback on how to be successful in their programs and in today’s workplace.”
Kim Forgues, VP Human Resources, Canada & Asia, Home Depot of Canada, Inc.

“…OSP is a valuable resource that helps employers…”
“The Ontario Skills Passport (OSP) is a valuable resource that helps to raise awareness of the Essential Skills and work habits that employers expect from their employees. Both small and medium size enterprises and large employers will find the OSP valuable for creating job advertisements and structuring performance reviews, while learners, job seekers and employees can use their work plans to build personal portfolios for career development.”
Michael Bloom, Vice-President, Organizational Effectiveness and Learning, The Conference Board of Canada

“…a successful worker needs Essential Skills and work habits…”
“A successful worker in the home building industry needs a strong set of Essential Skills and work habits to cope with the ever changing demands of our industry. Home builders and renovators are searching for individuals with an eagerness to learn, willingness to take on responsibility and a strong work ethic.”
Brian Johnston, President, Monarch Corporation and President, Ontario Home Builders’ Association