Skills for success (Essential Skills) summary
Essential skills are 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.
Through extensive research, the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated nine essential skills. These skills are used in nearly every occupation and throughout daily life in different ways.
The application of these skills may be described throughout this document within the skills and knowledge which support each sub-task of the trade. The following are summaries of the requirements in each of the essential skills, taken from the essential skills profile.
Reading
In their daily work, industrial electricians read and comprehend several types of text. These include work orders, safety and workplace documents as well as more complex technical electrical codes, regulations and equipment manuals.
Document use
Industrial electricians must use workplace documents such as electrical diagrams and schematic drawings, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and shift schedules. They must be familiar with electrical codes. It is necessary for industrial electricians to seek service and repair information from manuals and other sources.
Writing
Industrial electricians use writing skills to record comments or notes in logbooks or work records. They write messages to colleagues or management to give work details or reply to requests for technical information. They also write longer service reports to describe problems and their solutions.
Oral communication
Industrial electricians use oral communication skills to coordinate work with production crews and equipment operators. Clear communication of technical and complex information is very important to avoid injuries and promote efficiency. Industrial electricians also use communication skills when working with co-workers and supervisors, and mentoring apprentices in the trade. Good listening skills are also required of industrial electricians for comprehension and understanding such as the ability to repeat back clearly what has been stated or learned.
Numeracy
Industrial electricians use a range of complex math skills in their day to day work. These include scheduling, measurement, conversions and calculations. They use electrical theory by applying formulas from electrical codes to determine equipment and wiring specifications and to analyze measurements.
Thinking
Industrial electricians require strong analytical skills to troubleshoot and diagnose malfunctions in equipment. They use logic and memory to determine the faults. They must use decision making skills to perform work planning and prioritizing. Decisions about when to perform shut-downs have important implications on safety in their workplace.
Industrial electricians organize the most effective use of their time within the framework of assigned tasks. Routine tasks are generally assigned by supervisors or dictated by a procedure established by the employer. Much of their other work is in response to broken or malfunctioning equipment. They often have to re-prioritize tasks several times a day. Industrial electricians coordinate their work with other trades and production staff, all of whom have different needs and priorities.
Working with others
Industrial electricians work as part of a team that includes other tradespeople and professionals to install, repair and maintain industrial electrical systems and equipment. They most often work independently, co-ordinating their work with the work of others, but for large jobs they work with a partner or crew.
Digital technology
Skills in digital technology are increasingly important for industrial electricians. They use general applications such as e-mails, Internet, word processing, databases and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) software to communicate, perform research, organize their work and configure and update electrical equipment operating parameters. More trade specific applications include computer assisted design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software and logic controllers.
Continuous learning
Industrial electricians often receive in-house safety training to update their certifications such as Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They also receive training so that they can safely operate equipment such as forklifts, scissor lifts and scaffolding. They learn about new equipment on the job by reading manuals, taking courses and through hands-on experience. They obtain computer training by taking courses off-site and through e-learning.