Job Safety Skills Society.

Being prepared is not only the motto of Boy Scouts, it should be standard practice for all new employees on the job site. That’s the thinking behind a series of courses offered by the Job Safety Skills Society, a partnership of industry, education and government. The Society has developed three modules outlining practices of personal safety, workplace safety and safety management systems as part of Alberta Education’s career and technologies studies program. Each module, which combines theory with extensive hands-on training, represents one credit and approximately 25 hours of instruction. The program is provided free of charge to teachers.

"It’s a tragic fact that young workers between the ages of 15 and 24 are the most likely to be killed or injured on the job," said Job Safety Skills Society Executive Director Colin Reichle. "Over one third of all work related fatalities in Alberta involve young people, and over 25 per cent of all work-related injuries, though they constitute less than 20 per cent of the workforce, are attributed to this same group."

The initiative to develop the curriculum was taken after community leaders, teachers, parents, students and business and government representatives identified the need for early safety training for young Albertans prior to their entering the workplace. To date, more than 300 high schools throughout the province offer the training.

Job safety skills help students become more employable and the skills they learn can be applied to everyday living at home, in the community and on the job. APEGGA stepped on board to help the Society take this message forward. A poster advertising the modules was produced and distributed to every high school in the province. APEGGA’s support for the program stems in part from its commitment to worker safety as a result of last January’s signing of a Partnership in Health and Safety with Alberta Labour. The memorandum of understanding highlights the raising of standards of worker health and safety as its cornerstone.

In addition to high schools, the Society is currently speaking with colleges and technical institutions to incorporate the modules into their curricula. The Society has also been contacted by institutions in other provinces to adapt the modules to local requirements. Colin Reichle believes that within a few years, the courses could be offered nationally.

For more information on the Job Safety Skills Society and its programs, contact (403) 413-6876.


Job Safety Skills Sopciety Executive Director Colin Reichle (right) presents certificate of appreciation ot APEGGA Executive Director and Registrar Neil Windsor, P.Eng. in recognition of APEGGA's support of the Job Safety Skills Program.