The Essential Skills Profiles

Essential Skills Profiles describe the frequency and complexity of the use of essential skills in different occupational groups. There are:

• Essential Skills Profiles for approximately 150 entry-level occupational groups from Skill Levels C and D of the NOC. These Profiles cover all occupations that can be entered with a high school diploma or less. Most are based on information from open-format interviews with 3,000 workers across Canada. Some are part of National Occupational Standards developed by the private sector with assistance from Human Resources Development Canada.
• Essential Skills Profiles for occupations requiring study beyond high school. These Profiles are part of National Occupational Standards developed by the private sector, or National Occupational Analyses conducted in the Red Seal program for apprenticeable trades.
• The second major phase of field research to develop Essential Skills profiles for approximately 250 technical and professional (NOC Skill Level A and B) occupational groups began in the fall of 2003. New profiles are posted as they become available. Some profiles will continue to be written in tandem with the National Occupational Standards developed by the private sector with assistance from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

An Essential Skills Profile describes how each essential skill is actually used by workers in an occupational group. For each essential skill, a Profile generally contains:

• Complexity ratings that indicate the level of difficulty of the tasks related to that skill
• Examples that illustrate how that skill is actually used
• A standardized description of how that skill is used so readers may make comparisons between occupations or aggregate information across occupations

USING THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS PROFILES

The Profiles may be useful to a wide variety of people:

• Course and curriculum developers who are creating educational programs and activities at various levels of education
• Trainers and teachers working with youth and adults
• Guidance and career counsellors providing advice on career options and educational routes
• Employers who are selecting or developing appropriate training for employees
• Parents, mentors and advisors helping students plan for their future
• Learners who wish to better understand occupational requirements
• Occupational and workplace researchers who are studying employment in Canada

The Essential Skills Profiles have many potential uses. They could be used, for example, to:

• Develop workplace Essential Skills Training Programs
• Develop tasks that could be incorporated in classroom activities at various levels of education
• Create educational tools to enhance essential skills development
• Provide a framework for Essential Skills Needs Assessments in particular workplaces
• Determine an appropriate co-op placement for a student