HISTORY

The Work-Based Learning Consortium (WBLC) has been established as the not-for-profit, federally incorporated organization to continue the types of selection, work-based learning and certification programs that began under the banner of the Ontario Manufacturing Learning Consortium and to expand the scale, scope and efficiency of these proven, successful, competencies-based programs for many other entry- to mid-level skilled jobs in a wide range of sectors and geographies.

WBLC has recently completed Work-Based Learning Phase I:  Proving the Work-Based Learning (WBL) Concept, through a series of six funded projects conducted during the five year period from early 2014 to late 2018 with 550 unemployed /underemployed youth (age 18-29) and over 50 advanced manufacturing companies in Ontario, under the Ontario Manufacturing Learning Consortium (OMLC) banner. The WBLC Leadership Team led the development and managed the delivery of WBL programs (competencies-based selection, hiring, training and certification) for five different entry- to mid-level skilled jobs, achieving an average completion rate of 92% across all programs.

Objective, statistically-valid evidence now exists to show that WBLC’s Work-Based Learning programs are an effective and efficient way to transform the ‘informal’ approach to learning that employers have traditionally taken and/or supported for their employees into a ‘formal’ learning method and system. 

We completed every one of these six funded projects per agreed schedules and within agreed budgets, and we fully achieved all the agreed targeted deliverables. 

WBL Phase I is now complete.