Explore Careers by Skills & Knowledge
Explore Careers
Essential Skills
9 Essential Skills
Reading Writing Document Use Numeracy Oral Communication Thinking
Digital Technology Working with Others Continuous Learning
Reading
Reading refers to reading material in the form of sentences or paragraphs.
It generally involves reading notes, letters, memos, manuals, specifications, regulations, books, reports or journals.
Reading includes:
- forms and labels if they contain at least one paragraph
- print and non-print media (for example, text on computer screens and microfiche)
- paragraph-length text in charts, tables and graphs
Writing includes:
- writing texts and writing in documents (for example, filling in forms)
- non-paper-based writing (for example, typing on a computer)
Document Use involved a variety of information displays in which words, numbers, icons and other visual characteristics (eg. line, colour, shape) are given meaning by their spatial arrangement. For example, graphs, lists, tables, blueprints, schematics, drawings, signs and labels are documents used in the world of work.
Document Use includes:
- print and non-print media (for example, computer screen or microfiche documents, equipment gauges, clocks and flags);
- reading/interpreting and 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, plotting information on a graph, and entering information on an activity schedule.
Numeracy refers to the workers' use of numbers and their capability to think in quantitative terms.
Digital TechnologyDigital Technology indicates the variety and complexity of digital technology within the occupational group.
ThinkingThinking differentiates between six different types of interconnected cognitive functions:
- problem solving;
- decision making;
- critical thinking;
- job task planning and organizing;
- significant use of memory; and
- finding information.
Oral Communication pertains primarily to the use of speech to give and exchange thoughts and information by workers in an occupational group.
Working with OthersWorking 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?
Continuous LearningIt examines the requirement for workers in an occupational group to participate in an ongoing process of acquiring skills and knowledge.
Continuous Learning tests the hypothesis that more and more jobs require continuous upgrading and all workers must continue learning to keep or to grow with their jobs. If this is true, then the following will become Essential Skills:
- knowing how to learn;
- understanding one's own learning style; and
- knowing how to gain access to a variety of materials, resources and learning opportunities.
- Date modified: