Overview:

Pat Salt was tasked with explaining to delegates what workplace essential skills are (in a very specific sense) and why it is necessary to address these skills in training. Part of Pat’s job was to demonstrate the ‘teachability’ of the wide variety of essential skills used in today’s jobs.

Pat began her session by explaining the various definitions of workplace essential skills and the kinds of specific skills that are included as part of this umbrella. She focused closely on the definitions used by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) and the Essential Skills Research Project (www15.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca). Pat provided delegates with a hand-out that summarizes the essential skills categories targeted by HRDC, a resource document that provides concrete examples and definitions from a variety of sources. She then spent some time reviewing Reading, Document Use, Writing, Numeracy, Computer Use, Planning and Organizing, and Problem Solving. Pat stressed that the biggest challenge facing colleges and institutes today is to develop strategies that strengthen problem solving abilities. According to Pat, workplaces are changing and becoming more complex; workers who can think and make well reasoned decisions are integral if Canada is to become more innovative and productive. Pat also presented some examples of basic skills definitions from international development agencies, including CIDA. She noted the major difference between HRDC’s perspective and that of the international community is that the former views essential skills as a requirement and later as a requirement and a human right.

Pat presented delegates with some compelling arguments for why document literacy skills must be taught and some suggestions for accomplishing this. She reminded delegates that in all of the occupations profiled across Canada, there has never been one that did not require some form of document use. She observed, however, that college and institute training programs often overlook this essential skill. Pat also added that the ability to produce longer text writing pieces such as reports, proposals, and position papers is one of the skills that separates management from entry level positions.

To illustrate how easy it can be to teach a skill such as document use, she gave delegates questions relating to a workplace flow chart and a “SkillBuilder” that outlined flowchart conventions. It was noted that interpreting a flow chart is much easier once the basics are understood. Pat then reviewed ways that flowcharts might be used as part of training activities in the classroom. Pat also addressed icon interpretation, log book completion, and document navigation tasks as activities requiring skills training. Pat ended with a reminder that workplace essential skills must be integrated into technical training to be effective rather than addressed as separate “add-on” courses. She also stressed that trainers must use authentic documents. She concluded her session by saying that workplace essential skills should be used to enhance problem-solving and critical thinking if we are to maximize individual potential.