What Are Essential Skills: Part 2

Welcome back! Today we are going to dive deeper into the world of Essential Skills and how they can help you!

First, we are going to look at each skill and how you would use them in the workplace.

Reading

• Being able to read different types of materials such as books and memos.
• At work you will be required to read in order to learn about your job.

Writing

• Using written words to communicate with others.
• Writing at work could be through notes, reports and emails.

Document Use

• Finding information in things such as charts and graphs.
• There can be many different forms at work depending on your workplace.

Digital Technology

• Using different types of technology such as computers and smart phones.
• The types of technology depend on the job.

Oral Communication

• Speaking with others to exchange information.

Thinking Skills

• Being able to problem solve, make decisions and organize and plan.

Numeracy

• Math skills such as adding or subtraction.
• The types of math needed will depend on the job.

Working with Others

• Being able to work as a team with others.
• This means being able to share ideas and work together for a common goal.

Continuous Learning

• Having the skills to learn and change when needed in a workplace.
• It means always learning so that you can improve or find a better job.

Where/How to Find your Essential Skill Levels

There are many ways to assess your skills. Some you can do in person, some are online. Below are some supports to try. If none of these are near to you I recommend calling one of the resources below to see if they can connect you with supports that are local to you.

Most of these resources have assessments that you can take. An assessment is a test that will help you to understand where your skill levels are.

The Resources

Essential Skills Mobile App

• This is an app you can download.
• I’m not a huge fan of the assessment section of this app – you are better off to use some of the other resources listed if you want a more accurate assessment.
• However, there is alot of other great information, so it’s worth checking out.

The Government of Canada: Skills for Success

• This website has self-assessments that you can do from home.
• You will not get your levels from these, but will help you to better understand what you need to work on.

Workplace Education Manitoba (WEM)

• If you are in Manitoba check out their website.
• They offer FREE Essential Skills assessments and have offices all around Manitoba.
• They work with individuals and workplaces
• You must be a Manitoba resident.

Essential Skills Manitoba (ESM)

• If you are located in Winnipeg, Manitoba another option is to contact ESM
• They work with individuals and offer Essential Skills assessments along with many other programs.
• You must be a Manitoba resident.

Alberta Workforce Essential Skills Society

• Are located in Alberta
• Work with a variety of different industries
• Also have Essential Skill Assessments

Jobs and the Essential Skills Needed

The Government of Canada has a great website called

Explore Careers by Essential Skills

As you will see, this site has jobs listed under each letter. For example, if you click on “A” the first few jobs are:

• Accounting
• Administrative Clerks
• Aerospace Engineers

Under each job you click on, it will show:

• NOC Code
• Information regarding the job
• A breakdown of the 9 Essential Skills

When you click on each skill you will see:

• Examples of how that skill is used on the job.
• The levels required (between 1-5)

Why is this important???

Understanding what is required of a job is the first step in a successful job search. Comparing your current skill levels to what is required helps you to make a better decision. You can then decide the next steps (apply, upgrade, etc).

I’m a big believer that while degrees and certificates are important, experience and actual skills are just as important. Not everyone can afford university or college. There are still ways to move up in jobs and that is by focusing in improving your Essential Skills!

Have a great day and as always email or comment for more information! And if you haven’t read Part 1 yet click HERE