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.
A series of CCDA endorsed tools have been developed to support apprentices in their training and to be better prepared for a career in the trades. The tools can be used independently or with the assistance of a tradesperson, trainer, employer, teacher or mentor to:
- understand how essential skills are used in the trades;
- learn about individual essential skills strengths and areas for improvement; and
- improve essential skills and increase success in an apprenticeship program.
The tools are available online or for order at: www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/essential-skills/profiles.html.
The application of these skills may be described throughout this document within the skills and knowledge that 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. A link to the complete essential skills profile can be found at www.red-seal.ca/.
Reading
Instrumentation and control technicians require reading skills to locate and interpret technical information for their trade. These texts include technical articles about new products and industry practices, bulletins from manufacturers and on health and safety, calibration and service guides, codes and regulations, incident reports, procedures, manuals and notes.
Document use
Instrumentation and control technicians locate and interpret information in both print and electronic formats. Types of documents referenced include computer printouts with numeric information, supplier catalogue listings and engineering documentation such as forms, databases, graphs, tables, charts, schematics, assembly diagrams and drawings. They may also create documents such as on-site sketches and detailed schematics, assembly drawings, graphs and charts.
Writing
Writing skills are used by instrumentation and control technicians to create parts lists, maintenance schedules and inspection reports. Instrumentation and control technicians write procedures for the control and operation of equipment and to troubleshoot faults. They use writing skills when communicating through e-mail and providing status updates in logbooks.
Oral communication
In order to coordinate work, instrumentation and control technicians interact with other tradespersons and professionals such as process operators, steamfitters/pipefitters, boilermakers, industrial mechanics (millwrights), electricians, information technology technicians and engineers. They may also discuss systems design and problems with supervisors and engineers, and provide expert advice and opinion. Instrumentation and control technicians also exchange technical repair and troubleshooting information and speak to process operators about equipment and machinery breakdown. At times, they may make formal presentations to explain monitoring procedures or new equipment.
Numeracy
Instrumentation and control technicians must apply measurement and calculation, data analysis and numerical estimation skills to their tasks. Some of these tasks include measuring analyzer malfunctions, calculating flow, calculating volume displacement, monitoring pressure, interpreting deviations on graphs, and comparing values and measurements. Instrumentation and control technicians evaluate sets of data collected from tests and simulations to troubleshoot faults, assess equipment performance and assess the progress of wear.
Thinking
Instrumentation and control technicians troubleshoot malfunctions, take corrective measures to avoid potential hazards and decide whether to repair or replace components based on time and cost factors. They plan and organize maintenance schedules and the installation of new machinery. Instrumentation and control technicians must be able to think quickly and synthesize the information at hand to deal with emergencies such as serious equipment malfunctions that could cause injury, or property and environmental damage.
Digital technology
Instrumentation and control technicians install and service process automation controllers such as PLC, DCS, SCADA systems and HMI. They may use portable digital communication devices to configure settings and to access data such as measurement and operational values. Instrumentation and control technicians may use a variety of software and applications such as word processing software, databases, spreadsheets, communication software and devices, the internet, and computer-assisted design (CAD).
Working with others
Even though instrumentation and control technicians often work alone, they may also work with other tradespersons, professionals and process operators. Instrumentation and control technicians work with process operators to ensure instrumentation is properly maintained and operational and emergencies are handled quickly. They work with other professionals to perform functions such as testing transmitters or controllers, and installing control valves. Instrumentation and control technicians sometimes work as part of a crew, for example when running wires. In doing so, they may fill the role of either team member or team leader on project teams.
Continuous learning
Instrumentation and control technicians may attend training in areas that are new or continually evolving in the trade such as safety, digital technology and more sophisticated computer applications relating to process control. They may attend technical courses offered by suppliers’ representatives covering new equipment, as well as team leadership/communication seminars. Continuous learning also occurs through the reading of technical literature and by troubleshooting.