About ESU

Essential Skills Upgrading (ESU) is the employment-focused, adult upgrading program of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). We are a program of the WRDSB’s Alternative and Continuing Education division.  See our Mission, Vision and Values page to learn more about ESU.

Our name Essential Skills Upgrading refers to the “Nine Essential Skills for work, learning and life”  identified by Employment and Social Development Canada.

Visit ESDC’s Literacy and Essential Skills website or the Ontario Skills Passport website for more information about these Essential Skills.

As an Employment Ontario “Literacy and Basic Skills” program, we receive funding through Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

We are a member of the Project READ Literacy Network of Waterloo-Wellington, which includes other Waterloo Region organizations:

• The Literacy Group
• St. Louis’ Core Essentials  (a program of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board)
• Conestoga College’s Academic Upgrading