What Are Employers Looking For?

The academic, personal management and teamwork skills outlined in this profile form the foundation of a high-quality Canadian workforce both today and tomorrow.

The Corporate Council on Education invites and encourages students, parents, teachers, employers, labour, community leaders and governments to use the profile as a framework for dialogue and action.

Employability Skills Are Critical

Employment skills are the generic skills, attitudes and behaviours that employers look for in new recruits and that they develop through training programs for current employees. In the workplace, as in school, the skills are integrated and used in varying combinations, depending on the nature of the particular job activities.

The Council recognizes the need for employers to accomodate individual differences and to provide equal opportunities for women, native people, visible minorities and people with disabilities.

How Are Employability Skills Developed?

Employability skills are developed in school and through a variety of life experiences outside school. The student, the family and the education system, supported and enhanced by the rest of society, share this responsibility.

How does This Profile Fit with the Goals of Education?

All the the skills listed in this profile are already either explicit or implicit in general educational goal statements of the provinces and territories. Drawing attention to skills necessary for employability is compatible with and can enhance a school's efforts to meet its other goals and objectives.

Academic Skills

Those skills which provide the basic foundation to get, keep and progress on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can:

Communicate:

• understand and speak the languages in which business is conducted
  listen to understand and learn
• read, comprehend and use written materials, including graphs, charts and displays
• write effectively in the languages in which business is conducted

• Think critically and act logically to evaluate situations, solve problems and make decisions
• Understand and solve problems involving mathematics and use the results
• Use technology, instruments, tools and information systems effectively
• Access and apply specialized knowledge from various fields (e.g., skilled trades,technology,physical sciences, arts and social sciences)

Learn:

• Continue to learn for life

Personal Management Skills

The combination of skills, attitudes and behaviours required to get, keep and progress on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can demonstrates:

Positive Attitudes and Behaviours:

• Self-esteem and confidence
• Honesty, integrity and personal ethics
• A positive attitude toward learning, growth and personal health
• Initiative, energy and persistence to get the job done

Responsibility:

• The ability to set goals and priorities in work and personal life
• The ability to plan and manage time, money and other resources to achieve goals
• Accountability for actions taken

Adaptability:

• A positive attitude toward change
• Recognition of and respect for people's diversity and individual differences
• The ability to identify and suggest new ideas to get the job done-creativity

Teamwork Skills

Those skills needed to work with others on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can:

Work with Others:

• Understand and contribute to the organization's goals
• Understand and work within the culture of the group
• Plan and make decisions with others and support the outcomes
• Respect the thoughts and opinions of others in the group
• Exercise "give and take" to achieve group results
• Seek a team approach as appropriate
• Lead when appropriate, mobilizing the group for high performance

This document was developed by the Corporate Council on Education, a program of the National Business and Education Center, The Conference Board of Canada

This profile outlines foundation skills for employability. For individuals and for schools, preparing for work or employability is one of several goals, all of which are important for society.