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2 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Step 1- My Interests Step 2- ResearchWelcome to Step 4: Essential Skills This represents the fourth step of a five part career planning process; Step 1- My Interests Step 2- Research Step 3- Action Plan Step 4- Essential Skills ESSENTIAL SKILLS

3 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Step 4: Essential SkillsIn researching you career (Step 2), you should have identified formal training (Step 3) that you will require to attain your career goal.  While the technical, occupation-specific skills are important,  a diploma or certification will not guarantee you employment nor advancement in your career. Employers from across Canada and in all types of industries have developed a "wish list" of skills they feel should be added to a person's formal training if they hope to have a long and successful career. ESSENTIAL SKILLS

4 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Workplace Essential Skills Reading Text Document UseNumeracy Writing Skills Oral Communication Working with Others Continuous Learning Thinking Skills Computer Use The Essential Skills listed on the left are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. Through extensive research, the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated nine Essential Skills. These skills are used in nearly every occupation and throughout daily life in different ways and at different levels of complexity. For more information on the Essential Skills, visit: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

5 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Reading Text Did you know?Reading Text refers to reading material that is in the form of sentences or paragraphs. It generally involves reading notes, letters, memos, manuals, specifications, regulations, books, reports or journals. On average, 48% of the Canadian population aged 16 and over scored at the lowest two levels in the prose domain of literacy. The proportion in Newfoundland and Labrador was 55%; in New Brunswick, 56%; and in Quebec, 55%. Did you know? ESSENTIAL SKILLS

6 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips to improve your reading skills: Resources:Commit to reading a novel for pleasure every month. Read to your children. Challenge yourself occasionally by researching a topic you are interested in, but know very little about. Expand your vocabulary by picking up a dictionary and learn a couple of new words each week. Seek professional help if you have been diagnosed with a learning disability or medical condition that effects your ability to read.     Resources: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

7 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Document Use Did you know? Document use refers to;reading/interpreting documents the writing/completing/producing of documents. These two uses of documents often occur simultaneously as part of the same task, e.g., completing a form, checking off items on a list of tasks) It also refers to print and non-print media (computer screen, equipment gauges) Did you know? Higher levels of numeracy skill are associated with lower unemployment rates and higher earnings in all countries. However, approximately one third of adults score in the two lowest levels of numeracy proficiency and, in most countries, this is true of at least 50% of the adult population.  ESSENTIAL SKILLS

8 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Numeracy Skills Did you know?Numeracy skills refer to the workers' use of numbers and their being required to think in quantitative terms. Did you know? Higher levels of numeracy skill are associated with lower unemployment rates and higher earnings in all countries. However, approximately one third of adults score in the two lowest levels of numeracy proficiency and, in most countries, this is true of at least 50% of the adult population.  ESSENTIAL SKILLS

9 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips to improve Numeracy SkillsCreate a personal/household budget and maintain it. Take a tax preparation course (you could earn a little money too!) Meet with a financial advisor and ask questions about investment products/strategies. Perform activities that require measurement (cooking, carpentry, etc) Resources: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

10 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Writing Skills Did you know?Writing skills refers to writing texts and writing in documents (filling in forms) as well as non-paper-based writing (typing on a computer). Did you know? On average, 48% of the Canadian population aged 16 and over scored at the lowest two levels in the prose domain of literacy. The proportion in Newfoundland and Labrador was 55%; in New Brunswick, 56%; and in Quebec, 55%. This suggests that a significant proportion of the population of these jurisdictions is at risk of not being able to fully reach their social and economic potential.    ESSENTIAL SKILLS

11 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips to improve Writing SkillsWrite letters to  friends and family members.  Set up a Blog or website and document your thoughts, opinions or post interesting stories. Enroll in a writing class or course that encourages you to write reports and essays. Submit articles to your local newspaper (letters to the editor, etc.) Keep a daily journal or diary Resources: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

12 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Oral Communication Did you know?Oral Communication pertains primarily to the use of speech to give and exchange thoughts and information by workers in an occupational group. Did you know? The fear of public speaking is called glossophobia. Some surveys and research results show that most people have less fear of death than of talking in front of a live audience. Three out of every four individuals suffer from speech anxiety.    Speech Topics Help, Advice and Ideas ESSENTIAL SKILLS

13 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips to improve Oral CommunicationFind opportunities to meet new people Become a volunteer  Become involved in a local theatre group Offer to do a presentation at work/school  Join a sports team or hobby group Work in a customer service position Resources: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

14 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Working with Others Did you know?Working with others examines the extent to which employees work with others to carry out their tasks. Do they have to work co-operatively with others? Do they have to have the self-discipline to meet work targets while working alone? Did you know? About nine out of 10 Canadian workplaces today employ up to four generations of workers and nearly half of the Canadians who work in a multi-generation environment admit to experiencing a clash with older or younger workers, according to a new poll by Monster Canada. ESSENTIAL SKILLS

15 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips on improving your Teamwork skillsJoin a sports team (as a participant or coach) Volunteer as a committee member  Seek out opportunities that require you to act in a organizational/supervisory capacity Work in an area of customer service Get to know your coworkers/classmates Make it a priority to understand what makes your boss happy Resources: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

16 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Continuous Learning Did you know?More and more jobs require continuous upgrading, and all workers must continue learning in order to keep or to grow with their jobs. The following are important components of learning: knowing how to learn understanding one's own learning style knowing how to gain access to a variety of materials, resources and learning opportunities Did you know? Up to 70% of today’s new and replacement jobs require post-secondary credentials. ESSENTIAL SKILLS

17 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips to encourage Continuous LearningWatch educational programming Resolve to do one new thing every day (keep it small and simple) Volunteer to do a job that no one else is willing to do Talk less, listen more Resources: Free online training resources! ESSENTIAL SKILLS

18 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Thinking and Problem Solving Did you know?Thinking Skills differentiates between six different types of cognitive functions. These functions, listed below, are interconnected. Did you know… Did you know? 70,000 is the number of thoughts that it is estimated the human brain produces on an average day. More electrical impulses are generated in one day by a single human brain than by all the telephones in the world. The energy used by the brain is enough to light a 25 watt bulb. problem solving; decision making; critical thinking; job task planning and organizing; significant use of memory; and finding information. ESSENTIAL SKILLS

19 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips to improve Thinking and Problem SolvingDo puzzles (crossword, jigsaw, games) Read material that challenges you to think Keep up to date on news and current events  Look for better ways of doing things Repair something that has broken instead of replacing it Help someone in need Resources: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

20 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Computer Use Did you know?Computer Use indicates the variety and complexity of computer use within the occupational group. Did you know… Did you know? The number of text messages sent every day is twice the population of the planet. In 2014, the number of internet devices in the world exceeds 10,000,000,000! 90% of the world’s data has DOUBLED in the last 2 years! Shift Happens 2014 remix ESSENTIAL SKILLS

21 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Tips on improving Computer skillsPurchase or obtain regular access to a computer Take courses on how to use the internet and common software applications  Keep updated on new technologies (Blu-ray, digital music formats, Smart phones, etc)   Use and social networking sites as part of your communication strategy with friends Set up online banking, bill payment and/or to make a purchase through an online vendor Resources: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

22 ESSENTIAL SKILLS What do I do with this information?A good strategy is to develop a skills inventory based on the essential skills. A skills inventory helps you to discover your strengths and weaknesses.  This could help you to discover career options based on your talents. Developing a skills inventory is invaluable in preparing you for job interviews, as you can easily discuss you skills with an employer and provide examples. A skills inventory is a three part process: 1. Assess your current skill sets 2. Keep a record of new and/or improved skills as you develop them 3. Re-assess and document your success in your skills ESSENTIAL SKILLS

23 ESSENTIAL SKILLS Putting it all Together Did you know? Summary of Module 4: Workplace Essential Skills This step is about developing skill sets that will help you secure employment and perform to a high standard in your career. The skill sets that employers feel are essential to success in any job are; Did you know? Every one of these essential skills are introduced and developed through the school system. Mastery of these skills requires your dedication to keep practicing and continuously learning. Reading Text Oral Communication Computer Use Document Use Working with Others Thinking Skills Numeracy Continuous Learning Writing Skills ESSENTIAL SKILLS

24 Need more information? ESSENTIAL SKILLSCheck out some of the additional resources available to help you navigate through this step including activities, additional website resources, and a workbook at: ESSENTIAL SKILLS

25 For even more information…