Editor's note: The following information is drawn from HRSCD's website: http://srv108.services.gc.ca/english/general/home_e.shtml

The Story of the Essential Skills
and Workplace Literacy Initiative

In the early 1990's literacy researchers noticed that certain skills are important to people in virtually all occupations and facets of life. They called these Essential Skills. This research identified nine Essential Skills:

• Reading Text
• Document Use
• Numeracy
• Writing
• Oral Communication
• Working with Others
• Continuous Learning
• Thinking Skills
• Computer Use

These skills are used in virtually every occupation in Canada, in different forms and at different levels of complexity.

To better understand the importance and relevance of Essential Skills, particularly how they relate to different occupations, the Government of Canada launched a national research study—the Essential Skills Research Project in 1994. Working within this project, the researchers created occupational profiles for nearly 200 different occupations. Each of these occupational profiles shows how each of the nine Essential Skills are used in a specific occupation and at what complexity levels. This research is the basis for the Essential Skills Profiles presented on this site:
http://srv108.services.gc.ca/english/general/home_e.shtml.

Essential Skills
and Workplace Literacy Initiative

The Essential Skills and Workplace Literacy (ES&WL) Initiative's goal is to enhance the skill levels of Canadians who are entering-or are already in-the workforce. The Initiative does this by increasing awareness and understanding of Essential Skills, supporting the development of tools and applications, building on existing research, and working with other Government of Canada programs.

Essential Skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change.

Information for students: New website from Public Works and Government Services Canada From Judy Barbeau, ACCC: Over the past two years ACCC has highlighted the importance of increasing awareness of the strengths and qualities that college and institute graduates offer as potential employees of the federal public service, and has advocated that the federal government expand its post-secondary recruitment programs to include graduates of colleges and institutes. We are very encouraged that the recent Recruitment Campaign launched by Public Works and Government Services Canada also included graduates from colleges and institutes, as well as universities.
		You want a career, not just a job. And you want a life
		For information, direct students to: www.pwgsc.gc.ca/careers