Success Stories

We have literally thousands of inspiring success stories we could share with you. Here are just a few of the individuals and organizations who benefited from the Prior Learning Centre’s programs and services.

New doors open despite literacy challenges

James, a truck driver in New Brunswick, thought he didn’t have the skills he needed to move forward in his career.

“My boss really liked my work and he offered me the foreman’s job, but I said, ‘No, I can’t handle the responsibilities.’ But the real reason was my fear of filling out the forms and writing the reports.”

Then, James found out about the possibility of academic upgrading through a provincial workplace education initiative. He decided to attend in order to discover what skills he had. The confidence he gained gave him the boost he needed to participate in a two-evenings-per-week education program.

“I feel more confident after taking the portfolio program. Now I can show everyone what I know, and I might even apply for that foreman’s job once I finish working on my writing skills. It really is good to know that you know more than you think.”

Prior learning propels artist and mother

Krista grew up drawing and painting, and continued to explore the arts while raising her two children. But she didn’t realize that these skills could help her find a rewarding career.

“I only saw my drawing as a hobby, and never dreamed I could get credit for my work.”

Of Mi’kmag heritage, living off the reserve, Krista wanted to do everything she could to help her children by improving her own life. So she participated in a portfolio development course. Based on her portfolio and an interview, she received advanced standing in a two-year graphic design program. Once graduating, she immediately found a job with a printing company.

“PLAR made me realize that I could make a difference in my life. It helped me get this job. I think it was the confidence I got from realizing I knew more than I thought. I feel anything is possible now.”

New confidence for recent immigrant

Lina worked as a nurse for more than six years in China. When she immigrated to Canada with her husband and three children, she hoped to find a position in the field she was trained in. But she faced unexpected challenges.

“I discovered that my training is not recognized. No one would hire me. I think if I could show people what I could do, that would be good.”

She felt increasingly more confused about career options open to her, and uncertain about her previous training and experience. So she looked to the Prior Learning Centre for help. Through a series of PLAR processes, she developed a new confidence in her abilities. She also feels more prepared for interviews.

“I feel I can talk about my skills in a different way now. I think I can get a job as a nurse once I take some more training. I feel like a new person.”

Further education achieved despite challenges

When Miriam O’Brien considered upgrading her skills by taking Dalhousie University’s Master of Public Administration program, she worried she may not be accepted because of her lack of an undergrad degree. So she consulted the Prior Learning Centre for help.

“What we were able to do with our Portfolios was actually create a competency map and we listed the requirements from Dalhousie’s perspective and pointed them to the spots in the Portfolio that would show them that we had developed those types of competencies.”

Miriam discovered that her prior learning—from running her small business to her earlier career—provided her with distinct skills that could help her meet the University’s traditional requirements.

“When I was accepted at Dal, I really felt like the rust was off the wheels; that I was hitting the ground running. Some of my colleagues that have been out of university for 10 or 20 years had a harder time getting in the groove. That turned out to be a surprise but very, very appreciated benefit of the process.

Perceived barrier of disability overcome

Calvin didn’t see how he could possibly move on career-wise once he was disabled on the job. A serious injury prevented him from continuing in his manufacturing job.

“One day you have complete mobility, the next day you lose it. I didn’t know what to do. Those were long, dark days.”

Calvin was offered a “desk job”, but he didn’t feel he had the skills for such a career change. Then he signed up for a full portfolio program. He found that he had many transferable skills—allowing him to focus on what he could do instead of what he couldn’t.

“At first, I couldn’t see the skills I had in relation to a new occupation. I defined myself by my previous work. Now, I think about what I might be able to do with the skills I have. It was like suddenly waking up to your potential.”

Youth at risk finds new avenue for success

Louis quickly regretted dropping out of high school. At just 19, he began to realize that his options were limited because of his lack of education.

“No one was ever pushing me to go to school. Now I have a lot of fear. Fear of survival, of never finding work, of the future.”

A friend of his suggested he look into options for “getting back into learning.” Louis started an academic upgrading program, which would give him the foundation for diploma programs at college. He also participated in a college portfolio course. He learned about skill sets he never knew he had.

“I can face fear now. The biggest benefit of PLAR is to work through fear and talk about surviving strategies, and hope within yourself and the community. It’s nice to have hope. It’s like a big balloon inside of you.”

Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) PLAR process

The incredibly successful CCA PLAR program was created by the Prior Learning Centre in 2005 specifically as a response to an urgent need in the continuing care field for trained, qualified workers. This program uniquely addresses the industry shift from one that focused on training for a specific practice, to one that trains for the entire CCA field. Leveraging a variety of tools, such as a study program, PLAR processes, and equivalency methods, this program assesses and recognizes the credentials of the current CCA workforce. As a result, the care industry has its need for staff met, and individuals who are employed in the industry enjoy enhanced qualifications and employment mobility.

This immensely successful program is a case-in-point for the Prior Learning Centre’s ability to customize a program to address a very specific need. Please contact us if you would like to see how our competency assessment PLAR model can be applied to your immediate industry challenges.