Safe Landings: Adult Basic Education at Bristol Aerospace

In 1993, Bristol Aerospace established an Adult Basic Education (ABE) program focused on math and communication skills to aid in expanding into new markets. All workers were permitted to participate, but the primary target group was shop floor workers. Bristol used a shared time model: half of the training was taken on workers’ personal time, the other half on paid company time. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition strategies enabled workers to take part in only those training elements for which they lacked skills, rather than in an entire course (80 hours of training). After participating in ABE, the upskilled workforce was better able to meet the requirements of Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System health and safety regulations.