{"id":8,"date":"2012-08-30T18:30:32","date_gmt":"2012-08-30T18:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wrdsb.ca\/esu\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2026-05-25T18:45:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T22:45:48","slug":"about-esu","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/esu\/about-esu\/","title":{"rendered":"About ESU"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Past

Past and Present Staff at 40th Anniversary (2023)<\/p><\/div>\n

Essential Skills Upgrading (ESU) is\u00a0the employment-focused, adult upgrading program of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB).\u00a0We are a program of the WRDSB’s\u00a0Alternative and Continuing Education<\/em>\u00a0division.<\/p>\n

ESU had its beginnings in 1983 when the WRDSB first set up an upgrading program for adults.<\/p>\n

Our name,\u00a0Essential Skills Upgrading<\/strong>, refers to the “Nine Essential Skills for work, learning and life” identified by Employment and Social Development Canada.\u00a0 The Essential Skills have been updated.\u00a0 There are still 9, but they are now called Skills for Success.<\/p>\n

Visit ESDC’s Skills for Success website<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0for more information about Skills for Success.<\/p>\n

\"Government<\/a>As an\u00a0Employment Ontario Get SET<\/em><\/a> <\/strong>(formerly LBS) program, we receive funding through Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and through the Canada-Ontario Job Fund.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We are a member of the\u00a0Project READ Literacy Network<\/a> of Waterloo-Wellington.\u00a0 In Waterloo Region, there are 4 Employment Ontario upgrading programs:<\/p>\n