Tools, assessments and training support

Inform: Learn about the importance of the nine essentials skills and how they are used at work

• What are essential skills?
  A fact sheet that explains the 9 essential skills that people need for work, learning and life. It includes examples of how essential skills are used in the community and the workplace.
• Essential skills success stories
  A collection of real stories about Canadians who have experienced success in work and life after improving their essential skills. Told from the learner’s point of view, these stories can help inspire others to deal with their own essential skills challenges.
• Browse essential skills profiles to learn about the essential skills required for the job you want.

Assess: Discover your strengths and find areas where you can improve

• Online indicators and checklists
  Informal assessment that asks learners to solve questions to get an indication of their essential skills ability.
• Indicators (for print)
  A guide and informal assessment that asks learners to solve questions to get an indication of their essential skills ability. Indicators are available for the following essential skills:
  
  • Numeracy indicator
  • Reading indicator
  • Document use indicator
• Self-assessments
  These informal assessments guide learners through a series of statements to help them identify their essential skills strengths and areas for improvement. Self-assessments are available for each of the nine essential skills:
  
  • Oral communication self-assessment
  • Computer use self-assessment
  • Writing self-assessment
  • Reading self-assessment
  • Document use self-assessment
  • Numeracy self-assessment
  • Continuous learning self-assessment
  • Working with others self-assessment
  • Thinking self-assessment

Support: Improve your essential skills

Assess: Discover your strengths and find areas where you can improve

• Essential skills self-assessment for the trades
  A checklist to help identify essential skills strengths and areas for improvement. It includes statements that describe common trades-related tasks for the nine essential skills.

Support: Improve your essential skills

• Trades math workbook
  A workbook with practical exercises to help learners practice their numeracy skills and increase their success in an apprenticeship program.
• Essential skills workbook for the trades
  A workbook with practical exercises to help learners practice their reading, writing, numeracy and document use skills. A full answer guide is included to help learners understand the steps to reach the right answer.

Find more resources in the job seekers and workers support section.

Inform: Help job seekers and workers understand the importance of essential skills

• What are essential skills?
  A fact sheet that explains the 9 essential skills that people need for work, learning and life. It includes examples of how essential skills are used in the community and the workplace.
• Essential skills success stories
  A collection of real stories about Canadians who have experienced success in work and life after improving their essential skills. Told from the learner’s point of view, these stories can help inspire others to deal with their own essential skills challenges.
• How essential skills are used in the trades

Assess: Determine the essential skills needs of job seekers and workers

The job seekers and workers' assess section has more online indicators and checklists, as well as self-assessments. An essential skills self-assessment is also available in the apprentices and tradespersons section.

Support: Develop training to improve job seekers and workers essential skills

Available resources:

• Workplace training activities
• Support for apprentices and tradespersons
• Support for job seekers and workers

Inform: Discover how essential skills benefit your employees and your business

• Building essential skills in the workplace
  A set of case studies that offers examples of how to develop essential skills in the workplace. The case studies provide an overview of the benefits, outcomes and impacts of essential skills training.

Support: Develop employees' essential skills in your workplace

• Job enhancement and essential skills
  A guide to help managers and supervisors support workers in improving their essential skills by giving them new responsibilities and opportunities for development.
• Mentoring and essential skills
  A guide with tips and activities to support essential skills development in the workplace through mentoring relationships.