Skills for Success (Essential Skills) Summary

Skills for Success are needed in a quickly changing world for work, learning and life. They are foundational for building other skills and important for effective social interaction. Everyone benefits from having these skills as they help individuals get a job, progress at their current job and change jobs. They also help individuals become active members of their community and succeed in learning.

Through extensive research and consultations, the Government of Canada launched the new Skills for Success model renewing the previous Essential Skills framework to better reflect the needs of the current and future labour market.

For full descriptions of the Skills for Success including their components and proficiency levels see: Skill components and proficiency levels – Canada.ca.

The following summarizes how such skills are used in this trade. Note that the summaries below are based on the previous model (Essential Skills), and will be adapted in the next iteration of the Red Seal Occupational Standard to match the Skills for Success model.

• Reading

  Machinists require strong reading skills to gather information from forms and labels. They also need to read longer texts such as notes, letters, process sheets, manuals (Machinerys Handbook), specifications, regulations, reports, data collection, books and charts.

• Document Use

  Document use is a significant essential skill for this trade. Machinists need to be able to refer to and interpret several types of documents such as inspection reports, work orders, charts, sketches, drawings, set-up sheets and job travellers. They also need to be able to enter information or create these documents.

• Writing

  Writing skills are used by machinists to record job procedures, write work-related requests, record tooling lists and setup sheets, and record work instructions and process sheets.

• Oral Communication

  Some tasks performed by machinists require oral communication skills, including exchanging technical information with co-workers in their trade and other trades, discussing work with supervisors, interacting with clients and instructing less-experienced machinists and apprentices.

• Numeracy

  Numeracy skills are very important in the everyday work of machinists. Machinists frequently calculate measurements and dimensions of raw materials and finished products to make sure they match specifications. They must calculate speeds and feeds for the machines that they operate. Layout of workpieces requires strong geometry and trigonometry skills.

• Thinking

  Machinists must plan, make allowances and corrections, and determine the best sequence of work processes. They use problem solving skills to assess and adjust machining processes according to unforeseen circumstances. Machinists must make decisions and use critical thinking about the materials, processes or tools to use for specific jobs. They may initiate design changes. They may be responsible for scheduling and delegating tasks to apprentices or junior machinists.

• Working with Others

  Much of machinists work may be done independently such as interpreting, planning, producing and repairing parts. Machinists may work with other machinists to carry out new or complex tasks, or work on larger jobs. They may also work with engineering staff and computer programming staff.

• Digital Technology

  Machinists may use computers and computer-aided design (CAD) software in their work. They may use computers to access database information, reference electronic manuals and resources, communicate with others or perform Internet research. Certain equipment such as coordinate measuring machines (CMM) and computer numerical control (CNC) machines require digital technology skills.

• Continuous Learning

  Machinists are required to stay abreast of new technologies, products and trends in the machining industry.

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