What are Essential Skills and Why are they Important?
Essential Skills:
- are needed for work, learning and life;
- are the foundation for learning all other skills; and
- help people evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change.
(Employment and Social Development Canada, 2019)
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/essential-skills.html
There are nine Essential Skills that are used in every occupation at varying degrees of complexity:
| Reading | Document Use | Numeracy |
| Oral Communication | Thinking Skills | Working with Others |
| Writing | Digital Skills | Continuous Learning |
Watch what Douglas College Students have to say about Essential Skills:
What services are available?
1. Essential Skills Assessments – What level are you?
Understanding your Essential Skills Levels in relation to Canadian Occupational Essential Skill requirements helps you to explore potential work opportunities and identify skills to build.
Scientifically validated assessments for Reading, Document Use and Numeracy can be taken online where results reports are provided immediately.
Self-assessment tools guide you through a process to gauge the ‘other’ Essential Skills
Complete the assessment independently or with the assistance of an Essential Skills Coach, the choice is yours!
View Essential Skills Assessments information
- debrief your Essential Skills assessment results;
- develop personalized learning plan;
- provide Essential Skills strategies to help you enhance your skills
3. Essential Skills Tools, Resources and Online Modules
View Essential Skills Tools, Resources and Online Modules information
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