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English for Work in Canada

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What you'll be able to do
  • Introduce yourself at a new job and remember the words people use on day one.
  • Understand shifts, schedules, pay stubs and overtime words.
  • Ask for help, ask someone to repeat, and check that you understood.
  • Call in sick, ask for time off and talk to your supervisor politely.
  • Talk about safety and problems at work clearly.
  • Answer common job interview questions in simple English.
Words in this course 24
Business insuranceFillGoogle FormGross payHTMLHTTPSJOINLetMeanPermanent residentPersonal protective equipmentProjectProject (Claude)Project charterReady positionRegisterRestSampleShow, tell, trySIN (Social Insurance Number)Table (spreadsheet)TakeWHEREWork
Open the Vocabulary Hall
01

Your first day at work

In simple words

Starting a new job is like the first day at a new school. You say hello, learn people's names, and find out where things are. A few friendly words make everything easier.

Key facts
  • English and French are the two official languages of Canada (Charter of Rights and Freedoms, section 16).
  • Which language you use at work depends on your workplace and province. This course teaches English.
Word or phraseMeaningHow to say it
coworker / colleaguea person you work withKOH-wur-ker / KOL-eeg
supervisor / managerthe person who directs your workSOO-per-vy-zer / MAN-ih-jer
shiftthe hours you work on one dayshift
break roomroom where workers rest and eatBRAYK room
orientationfirst training for new workersor-ee-en-TAY-shun
"Nice to meet you."polite thing to say when you meet someonenyss tuh MEET yoo
"I'm new here."you just startedaym NOO heer
"Where should I put my things?"asking where your bag or coat goeswair shud eye put my things
Example (dialogue)
  • A: "Hi, I'm Priya. I'm the shift supervisor."
  • B: "Hi Priya, I'm Daniel. I'm new here. Nice to meet you."
  • A: "Nice to meet you too. Your orientation starts at nine."
  • B: "Great, thank you. Where should I put my things?"
  • A: "There are lockers in the break room."
Step by step
  1. Read the word table once, then say each word out loud using the 'How to say it' column.
  2. Cover the meaning column and try to remember each meaning.
  3. Read the dialogue between Priya and Daniel aloud, playing both parts.
  4. Say the dialogue again, but change the names to yours and your supervisor's.
  5. Write three sentences about your first day, using 'I'm new here' and 'Where should I put my things?'.
  6. Check: you can introduce yourself and ask where to put your things without reading.
LESSON 01Your first day at work
LESSON 01 / ANIMATED LESSON / AI VOICE00:00 / 01:00
Read the video script
[Host] "Day one at a new job in Canada. Here are the words you will hear first."
[Text on screen: coworker, supervisor, shift, break room] "Coworker means a person you work with. Your supervisor tells you what to do. A shift is your work hours."
[Host] "When you meet someone, smile and say: Hi, I'm new here. Nice to meet you."
[Text on screen: Where should I put my things?] "And if you are not sure where your bag goes, just ask: Where should I put my things?"
Try it now

Write your own three-line introduction: your name, your job, one friendly sentence. Say it out loud five times, then record yourself on your phone and listen back.

ClaudeStuck? Copy a ready-made prompt for Claude

Copy this, open Claude, paste it, and Claude will walk you through the lesson step by step.

For a grown-up: Claude is for adults (18+). Copy this, paste it into Claude, and use the answer to explain the lesson to your child.

I'm learning "English for Work in Canada" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Your first day at work".

What the lesson teaches:
- English and French are the two official languages of Canada (Charter of Rights and Freedoms, section 16).
- Which language you use at work depends on your workplace and province. This course teaches English.
- Word or phrase - Meaning - How to say it
- coworker / colleague - a person you work with - KOH-wur-ker / KOL-eeg
- supervisor / manager - the person who directs your work - SOO-per-vy-zer / MAN-ih-jer
- shift - the hours you work on one day - shift
- break room - room where workers rest and eat - BRAYK room

The exercise I'm working on:
Write your own three-line introduction: your name, your job, one friendly sentence. Say it out loud five times, then record yourself on your phone and listen back.

I'm stuck. Please:
1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example.
2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step.
3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Your first day at work" from the course "English for Work in Canada".

Here's what the lesson says:
Starting a new job is like the first day at a new school. You say hello, learn people's names, and find out where things are. A few friendly words make everything easier.

The activity:
Write your own three-line introduction: your name, your job, one friendly sentence. Say it out loud five times, then record yourself on your phone and listen back.

Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words.
Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
Open Claude
Sources
My notes
02

Shifts, schedules and pay words

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

03

Asking for help and checking you understood

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

04

Calling in sick and asking for time off

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

05

Safety and reporting problems

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

06

Job interview basics

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

++

Final project

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??

Quiz

  1. What is a shift?

  2. How do most Canadians pronounce "schedule"?

  3. In Ontario, when does overtime usually start for most employees?

  4. How many digits does a Social Insurance Number have?

  5. What polite phrase do you use when you didn't hear an instruction?

  6. What three things go in a call-in-sick message?

  7. What does PPE mean?

  8. What are the free government-funded English classes for newcomers called?

EX

Final exam

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

CE

Certificate

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.