The Government of Canada has identified nine core skills that employers are looking for. These Skills for Success help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They help you to get a job, progress at your current job and change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
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Skills for Success: Adaptability (1:04)
Major changes in society are affecting how you work, live, and learn. Changes in society mean that you have to change too. Strong adaptability skills help you deal with change effectively. They help you learn the new skills and behaviours you need. They help you stay focused on your responsibilities and goals. They help you stay positive and not give up when things get tough. And they help you manage the stress that can come from changes in your workplace, your community, and your life at home.
Skills for Success: Collaboration (1:03)
Many jobs require you to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Collaboration skills help you support and value others, no matter who they are or where they’re from. They help you perform better in a team. They help you work with people of all ages to complete tasks and solve problems. Strong collaboration skills help you manage difficult interactions. They help you build positive relationships with others—at work, in school, and in other parts of your life.
Skills for Success: Communication (1:09)
Communication skills are important for developing good working relationships with co-workers and clients, including those from different backgrounds and cultures. Strong communication skills help you work effectively in a team. They help you understand a variety of viewpoints. They help you gather and share information to solve problems—whether at work or in your daily life.
Skills for Success: Creativity and Innovation (1:02)
Creativity and innovation skills help you come up with new ideas and approaches—both at work and outside work. They help you think about things differently than in the past. And they help you change things for the better. People who are creative and innovative have curious minds. They find inspiration from a broad range of experiences and perspectives. They think of mistakes as learning moments. They inspire others to innovate and support them in developing their own creativity.
Skills for Success: Digital Skills (1:01)
Digital technology has changed the way you work, find information, solve problems, and communicate. Most jobs now require digital skills to support skills such as reading, writing, and numeracy. Digital skills help you keep up with changes in the modern workplace and in your daily life.
Skills for Success: Numeracy (1:08)
Numeracy deals with understanding numbers. That’s a critical skill in today’s society. But the modern economy requires numeracy skills that go beyond basic arithmetic. Many jobs require the ability to work with numbers and math. Everyday life requires numeracy skills too. You need numeracy skills to manage your finances, make sense of statistics in the news, figure out your share of a restaurant bill, and more.
Skills for Success: Problem Solving (1:14)
Problem-solving skills are important for everything you do in life, from managing your time to meeting your career goals. Good problem solving starts with the ability to think and make decisions. You learn these skills with practice and experience. The stronger your problem-solving skills, the faster and more effectively you can adapt to change.
Skills for Success: Reading (1:06)
Reading helps you understand and interpret the meaning of written words. That’s important for all sorts of day-to-day activities—like interpreting bus schedules or understanding travel advisories. Strong reading skills help you manage your time and do your job safely. Reading skills also help you learn other skills. For example, you can learn to use social media by reading online resources.
Skills for Success: Writing (1:02)
Writing helps you communicate ideas and information to other people. In today’s world, your writing skills must be adaptable for many different situations—including digital platforms. Knowing what to write and how much to write is important. It’s also important to know what writing style is suitable for your purpose and your intended reader.