Created by:
The Centre for
Education and Work
www.cewca.org

Innovative Learning Cultures

A Case Study:

EPCOR
10065 Jasper Ave
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 3B1

EPCOR Energy Services is a medium to large business responsible for servicing the Edmonton, Alberta area with energy services. Located on Jasper Avenue, EPCOR Energy Services is positioned in the center of the city and the corporate logo is visibly displayed on the high rise tower. The researcher required security clearance to be admitted beyond the foyer service area for meetings that primarily occurred on the 6th floor of the building. The principal contact for the case study, Ms. Ann Wilson, is the Senior Manager of Workplace Learning and Communication. The Energy Services business unit is one of a number of units under the corporate umbrella which is led by the President of the organization, Don Lowry. Ms. Wilson reports directly to the Vice President of the Energy Services business unit.

Innovation in the learning environment is evident at EPCOR. A considerable portion of the 6th floor of the building is devoted to Workplace Learning and Communication. Sharing of knowledge and team building is actively encouraged in the EPCOR cultural environment. Corporate values such as team play, honesty, transparency and integrity are paramount within the organizational structure. The development of learning opportunities is created through continual communication, employee input, feedback and the sharing of expertise. EPCOR demonstrates a culture of organizational process improvement and searches for ways to identify synergies within and across departments while serving the learning needs of the employees.

One of the innovative programs at EPCOR is the Skills Recognition Program or SRP. This learning recognition model encompasses a structured, quantifiable program that provides opportunities for individuals to prove their value through increased productivity. Three modularized Tiers exist in the program and follow two separate streams, allowing for "grandmothering" and "grandfathering" into the learning world. Pathways are built into the framework of the model to assist those employees, for example, who have identified entering the zone of management as a personal goal.

The elemental focus of the Skills Recognition Program is on the recognition of prior learning and aims to establish a standard of competency for the individual employee. Following company goals and vision, a Tiered aspect of the SRP allows inclusive access for all employees to be able to participate in the program. Furthermore, the Tiered system is intended to create links to strengthen working relationships. In addition, employees at EPCOR Energy Services participate in a learning plan process called Aligning Performance for Results (ARP). Learning is emphasized as employees consider where they desire and need to enhance their skills. The ARP is revisited throughout the year and assessed to determine and to create occasions designed for enhancement of employee growth and development. Leadership and innovation are nourished and rewarded within the company. A great deal of emphasis is placed on relationship building and helping one another in professional relationships at EPCOR Energy Services.

Shelley Hosaluk, from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was the Regional Coordinator for the Workplace Informal Learning Matrices (WILM) at EPCOR Energy Services during the summer of 2006. Employees in supervisory capacities at EPCOR completed the Matrices, were interviewed and shared information indicating the complexity levels of a range of skills performed on a daily basis in the workplace. The Matrices provide a tangible measurement to establish benchmarks and measure informal learning in the workplace. In conjunction with corporate values, numerous possibilities exist for EPCOR to utilize the Workplace Informal Learning Matrices with employees in the workplace areas of enrolment, contact centres, complex pricing, learning and communication. Moreover, the Workplace Informal Learning Matrices developed by The Centre for Education and Work have the potential to be specifically used within the Skills Recognition Program at EPCOR Energy Services because the Matrices provide both a language and a benchmark for skill recognition.