The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills of the Employment and Social Development Canada (2020) emphasized that the nine essential skills serve as the ‘foundation for learning all other skills’.
In this blog, I share to you my reflections on my essential skills based on the self-assessment in the tools and resources of the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills. I found that I need to improve in three essential skills.
1. Thinking skills
I need to improve on evaluating the potential solutions to a problem especially those suggested by my superiors and on evaluating how well a solution worked through quantitative and qualitative approaches. In my country of origin, I seldom argue with my superior the solutions for a problem – they always have the final say in terms of what needs to be done. However, I am now working in an environment where individual ideas are valued as inputs. Hence, I have to participate in thinking of ways to solve a problem in our organization. With this in mind, I have to take the time to evaluate these solutions through systematic approaches.
2. Communication skills
I need to improve on following complex oral instructions to complete a task. This is especially true in a fast-paced work environment wherein not all the instructions for a task are provided in a written document. Most of the time in the academe where I am most exposed to, detailed written instructions of the task are provided. However, with my present role as a soft skills instructor, instructions may be verbally given through meetings and in a short span of time. Hence, I need to employ strategies to follow complex oral instructions.
3. Working with others
I have to improve my focus on performing my tasks despite having distractions in the background. I am used to working in a quiet environment. However, I may not be able to afford this type of environment when I am working in our office where I need to discuss with my fellow workmates and collaborate with them on some tasks. Amid some distractions, I need to engage in a strategy that can get me through my daily work.
What’s next?
It is important to note that there are gaps in the essential skills in the Canadian work force. These gaps point first to critical thinking and problem solving (more than 70%), followed by oral communication, literacy, and working with others (fairly distributed between 30% and 40%) (Stuckey & Munro, 2014). Hence, knowing my needs for improvement on these essential skills help me be more attuned to what are needed in the labor market. My self-assessment results are helpful in this matter.
Moreover, the fast-paced improvement of the technology applied at work is a constant challenge and an opportunity for continuous learning – this can help lessen the skills shortage in Canadian workforce (Canada West Foundation, 2015). With this, engaging in continuous learning especially in my digital skills can help me perform my tasks successfully especially in facilitating online learning sessions.
Among the nine essential skills, the soft skills or skills related to effective communication is one of the skills that can help me stand out in the competitive labor market (Peart, 2019). Based on my self-assessment, one of my strengths is I can make use of my oral communication skills to deliver and understand information. This strength helps me perform my tasks successfully. However, soft skill is not only about communication. It also involves understanding and respecting cultural differences; thus, I have to keep on learning as I interact with my workmates.
The perspective on nine essential skills will be able to help me improve as a student, as a teacher, and as a lifelong learner. As a student, I can fine-tune my efforts on practicing those areas in essential skills that I need to improve on (e.g., thinking skill, oral communication, and working with others). Collaborating with my fellow instructor classmates and engaging in VCC’s LinkedIn learning resources are ways I can address these limitations in my skills.
As a teacher, I can make use of the essential skills perspective to emphasize the importance of the course in the student’s future line of work. I can do this by incorporating essential skills in the competency goals or course outcomes of the syllabus. For example, a behavioral statistics class can be a means to develop a student’s essential skill on numeracy – I will emphasize this both in the syllabus and in the class orientation.
Finally, as a lifelong learner, I can monitor my personal and professional growth by taking the time to assess myself through these essential skills, such that in whatever work I am in, I have to make sure that I have these important foundational skills. This ensures that I constantly improve throughout my career. It is my hope that in the future when I get back to this blog, I can say that I did my best to grow personally and professionally.
References
Employment and Social Development Canada (2020). The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills: Literacy and essential skills. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/essential-skills.html
Employment and Social Development Canada (2020). Tools, assessments and training support. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/essential-skills/tools.html
Lane, J., & Murray, T. S. (2015). Smarten up: It’s time to build essential skills. Canada West Foundation. http://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CWF_HCP_SmartenUp_Report_JUN2015.pdf
Peart, N (2019, September). The 12 most important skills you need to succeed at work. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliapeart/2019/09/10/the-12-most-important-skills-you-need-to-succeed-at-work/?sh=4585b13f1c6a
Stuckey, J., & Munro, D. (2014). Skills for success: Developing skills for a Prosperous BC. Ottawa: The Conference Board of Canada. https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv:67800
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