• Employability Skills and Essential Skills are, in many ways, the same skills – essential skills are described from the point of view of competent workers, and the employability skills, from the point of view of employers.
• The Essential Skills Research Project (now completed) and the Essential Skills and Workplace Literacy Initiative (launched in April 2003) examine these skills using a detailed and systematic approach, and provide information on the different ways these skills are used in the workplace. The ESRP also provided a way to talk about differences in how skills are used and differences in the skills people have demonstrated.
• These skills are used beyond the workplace in a broad range of daily activities.
• The Employability Skills Profile also includes attitudes and behaviours that employers are looking for.

Essential Skills and Employability Skills are enabling skills that:

• help people perform the tasks required by their occupation and other activities of daily life
• provide people with a foundation to learn other skills
• enhance people’s ability to adapt to workplace change

Having and using these important skills, attitudes and behaviours helps individuals make smoother transitions and better connections–whether from school to work or further study, from employment back to education, or from job to job–and manage the many changes they experience in their lives.

Having information about Essential and Employability Skills helps:

• people see what employers are looking for, explore careers and get information about what people do in specific jobs;
• instructors see the connection between skills development and what teachers are already doing and incorporate actual workplace materials into their classroom activities;
• Guidance and career counselors advise students, workers and others making labour market transitions about career options and educational routes;
• course and curriculum developers create relevant educational programs and activities;
• employers select and develop training for their employees;
• trainers develop customized training programs;
• parents, mentors and advisors assist young people to better plan for their futures.