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Essential Skills

Essential Skills - the building blocks for success

Schedule of workshops offered
Course Info Sheets (PDF)	Course Dates for 2012

Essential Skills Methodology & Task Analysis	February 6-9
ES Assessments, Interpretation & Application	February 20-22
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Essential Skills	March 12-15
Developing Your Essential Skills Portfolio	March 26-27
Introduction to Essential Skills	April 10-11
ES Methodology & Task Analysis	May 7-10
ES Assessments, Interpretation & Application	(Please note date change to May 22-24)
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Essential Skills	June 11-14
Work Experience Study (Winter Semester)	Register anytime between Jan. 1, and March 31, 2012

To register, please see the Continuing Education registration page or for more information call (604) 777-6152.

New! - The Essential Skills Practitioner Training (ESPT) Certificate Program, the first of its kind in Canada, provides training for workers in career development, employment counselling, education, workplace training and human resources to develop the competencies necessary to effectively assess and enhance the Essential Skills of their clients. This certificate program consists of five courses (and one independent Work Experience Study) and are offered on a continuous intake at our David Lam Campus in Coquitlam. Please see our ESPT Certificate Program Guide for more information.

Once you have completed all of the required courses to obtain your ESPT (Essential Skills Practitioner Training Certificate), you can apply for graduation.

An Aboriginal Essential Skills Journey, Planting the Seeds for Growth

Introducing a new Aboriginal Essential Skills workshop resource designed to introduce Essential Skills to front line workers, educators and trainers. This two day workshop toolkit includes a Facilitator's Guide and Participant Workbook. Please see our list of approved facilitators and facilitator guidelines for this workshop.

Download free guide & workbooks:


Participant Workbook (pdf)	Participant Workbook (French) (pdf)	Facilitator's Guide (pdf)	Facilitator's Guide (French) (pdf)

What are Essential Skills?

Essential Skills are the core building blocks Canadians need to take part in virtually all daily activities and occupations.

are the fundamental skills needed for work, learning and life
provide the foundation for learning all other skills
enhance people's ability to adapt to workplace change

The Government of Canada has identified and validated nine Essential Skills:

Reading text
Document use
Writing
Numeracy
Oral communication
Thinking skills
Working with others
Computer use
Continuous learning

HRSDC Essential Skills Website

Who benefits?

Understanding Essential Skills benefits employees, employers, individuals preparing for work, educators and Human Resource professionals.

Educators, Counsellors and HR Professionals can use Essential Skills to:

develop new teaching/training methods
integrate Essential Skills and the use of authentic workplace materials into classrooms and on-the-job training
better assist people with career planning and exploration
better assist people to develop realistic learning plans for job goals

Employers can use Essential Skills to:

improve safety and productivity
assist employees to adapt to workplace change
build a more positive work environment
develop HR tools such as job descriptions and training plans
create a more active learning culture

Individuals can use Essential Skills to:

assess and enhance Essentials Skill levels
develop career opportunities and room for advancement on the job
potential for higher pay rates
increase self-confidence and self-esteem
gain greater understanding of the training and skills that specific jobs require

Douglas College - A leader in Essential Skills education

You can achieve your goals in Essential Skills education and training at Douglas College through the following services:

1. Essential Skills Practitioner Training Certificate Program:   ESPT Certificate Program Guide
     For:    Educators, Workplace Trainers, Career Practitioners
     Why: To understand and integrate Essential Skills into your work

2. Essential Skills Tools & Resources:

Essential Skills Assessments TOWES (Test of Workplace Essential Skills) is an internationally recognized test that evaluates competencies in three Essential Skills (Reading Text, Document Use, Numeracy) http://www.towes.com/
Essential Skills On-line (ESKILON) Eskilon Learning -Eskilon Learning Solutions provides web-based tools and award-winning instructional resources for young adult/adult education and training. Essential Skills Online (ES0) is an e-learning program designed to help learners develop the Essential Skills they need for the jobs they're seeking.
Essential Skills for Security Guard Personnel Research Project Final Report May 2006 (English (PDF) (French (PDF)
Essential Skills and Literacy Assessment Tools
Essential Skills Tools & Resource Guide
ACCC Utilisation de Documents, Communication Orale, capacité de raisonnement

3. Essential Skills Consulting & Coaching
Who: for employers, educators, counsellors, HR professionals
What: customized consultation/training to meet your Essential Skills goals