Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Why Do Employers Invest in Essential Skills Development for their Employees?
  2. 1. Teaching the Skills that Enable Employees to Manage Change at Syncrude Canada Ltd.
    1. Essential Skills Challenge
    2. Organizational Response
    3. Characteristics of Target Audience
    4. Contribution to Building a Learning Culture
    5. Benefits, Outcomes and Impacts: Return on Essential Skills Training Investment
    6. Ability to be Used as a Model
    7. Measuring the Essential Skills Gap
  3. 2. Shaping Performance at BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc.
    1. Essential Skills Challenge
    2. Organizational Response
    3. Characteristics of Target Audience
    4. Contribution to Building a Learning Culture
    5. Benefits, Outcomes and Impacts: Return on Essential Skills Training Investment
    6. Ability to be Used as a Model
    7. Measuring the Essential Skills Gap
  4. 3. Essential Skills for Multi-Skilling at National Silicates
    1. Essential Skills Challenge
    2. Organizational Response
    3. Contribution to Building a Learning Culture
    4. Benefits, Outcomes and Impacts: Return on Essential Skills Training Investment
    5. Ability to be Used as a Model
    6. Measuring the Essential Skills Gap
  5. 4. Producing “Productivity Through People” at Minas Basin Pulp & Power Company Limited
    1. Essential Skills Challenge
    2. Organizational Response
    3. Characteristics of Target Audience
    4. Contribution to Building a Learning Culture
    5. Benefits, Outcomes and Impacts: Return on Essential Skills Training Investment
    6. Measuring the Essential Skills Gap
  6. 5. Empowering Employee-Learners with Essential Skills at Durabelt Inc.
    1. Essential Skills Challenge
    2. Organizational Response
    3. Characteristics of Target Audience
    4. Contribution to Building a Learning Culture
    5. Benefits, Outcomes and Impacts: Return on Essential Skills Training Investment
    6. Ability to be Used as a Model
    7. Measuring the Essential Skills Gap
  7. Key Findings from Case Studies
    1. Table 1: Hard returns on Essential Skills investments
    2. Table 2: Soft returns on Essential Skills investments
  8. Step-by-Step Process for Developing Essential Skills
    1. 1. Assess organizational skill needs
    2. 2. Determine the skill gaps of individual employees
    3. 3. Set Essential Skills targets for individual employees
    4. 4. Design appropriate training to meet individual and organizational Essential Skills targets
    5. 5. Schedule training
    6. 6. Track individual performance
    7. 7. Track organizational performance
    8. 8. Leverage Essential Skills gains
    9. 9. Market the benefits
    10. 10. Build on success
  9. Conclusion