Skills for Success are the nine foundation skills we need to succeed at work and in life.
These skills determine whether people complete training, secure employment, and adapt to changing workplaces. Yet many learners enter programs without the skills they need to succeed.
The Essential Skills Group provides validated assessments, customized learning supports, and reporting tools needed to measure these skills, strengthen them, and demonstrate real impact across the populations you serve.
Skills for Success
There are nine Skills for Success; reading, numeracy, digital skills, writing, listening, problem solving, creativity & innovation, collaboration, and adaptability.
These are the skills people need to:
- learn effectively
- work safely and productively
- adapt to change
- participate fully in the economy
They form the bridge between education, training, and real employment outcomes.
They are the clearest predictor of long-term success.
When skills are measured accurately, organizations can target support, strengthen results, and demonstrate real value to funders and communities.
Skills we assess and develop
READING
The ability to understand reading materials in the form of sentences and paragraphs. We use this skill to scan information, skim for overall meaning, evaluate what we read and integrate information from multiple sources.
NUMERACY
The ability to use numbers and think in quantitative terms. We use this skill when doing numerical estimating, money math, scheduling and budgeting math and analyzing measurements or data.
COMMUNICATION
Speaking and listening – the ability to use speech to give and understand thoughts and information. We use this skill to greet people, take messages, reassure, persuade, seek information and resolve conflicts.
WRITING
The ability to write text and documents. We use this skill when we organize, record, document, provide information to persuade, request information from others and justify a request.
DIGITAL
The ability to use different kinds of computer applications and other related technical tools. We use this skill when we operate cash registers, use word processing software, send emails and create spreadsheets
PROBLEM SOLVING
The ability to engage in the process of evaluating ideas or information to reach a rational decision. We use this skill when we solve problems, make decisions, think critically, and plan and organize job tasks.
MECHANICAL APTITUDE
The ability to apply mechanical and physical principles to determine how objects work and move. We use this skill to understand how to use a jack to fix a flat tire or assemble a cardboard storage box.
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL
The ability to work with others (collaborate), overcome setbacks (adapt), and develop new ideas (be creative/innovate). We use these skills to work as a team, deal with change, and find solutions.
Understanding Skills for Success
Why do Skills for Success matter?
Skills for Success are the foundational skills Canadians need for work, learning, and everyday life.
According to the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC), these skills are transferable across jobs and industries and are increasingly important in today’s changing economy.
Research shows that stronger foundational skills are linked to higher employment rates, increased earnings, improved workplace safety, and greater ability to adapt to change.
Our assessment platform helps organizations quickly identify these foundational skills so they can better support hiring, training, career planning, and learner success. When foundational skills are not measured, programs are forced to rely on guesswork.
Why are foundational skills becoming more important?
Workplaces are changing rapidly. New technologies, automation, and digital tools are transforming how Canadians work across nearly every industry.
According to research cited by SRDC and the Future Skills Centre, employers are increasingly looking for workers who can adapt, solve problems, communicate effectively, and continue learning throughout their careers.
That’s why more organizations are using Skills for Success assessments to better understand learner and workforce readiness. Our platform provides clear, easy-to-understand results that help organizations identify strengths, support skill development, and make informed decisions.
What skill levels do most jobs require?
Most jobs in Canada require Level 3 skills.
Level 3 tasks typically involve comparing information, interpreting workplace documents, solving multi-step problems, and applying information in new situations. These are the practical skills needed in most modern workplaces.
Research from international literacy studies identified Level 3 as the minimum level needed to successfully meet the demands of work and daily life in a complex economy.
Research also shows that people with higher skill levels are more likely to find work faster and earn higher wages.
Our assessments are designed to measure the real-world foundational skills most employers and training programs are looking for.
Why does our assessment focus on Levels 1–3?
Our predictive assessments focus on Levels 1–3 because these are the skill levels needed for most jobs in Canada.
Levels 4 and 5 involve advanced or highly specialized tasks that are usually connected to expert-level work or technical professions. Most workers do not need to regularly perform tasks at those levels.
By focusing on Levels 1–3, our platform delivers faster, more practical assessments that measure workplace readiness and identify skill gaps without overwhelming users with unnecessary complexity.
This approach helps organizations make confident decisions about training, education, hiring, and learner support.
Can these skills improve over time?
Yes. Skills for Success are teachable and learnable.
According to SRDC, these skills can be developed through practice, education, training, and workplace experience.
Our platform helps support this process by identifying current skill levels and providing personalized insights that help learners understand what they can do now and what skills they may need to build next.
Even small improvements in foundational skills can make a major difference in confidence, employment opportunities, and long-term success.
What makes our assessment platform different?
Our assessment platform was designed specifically for real-world workplace environments.
The system combines evidence-based assessment methods with modern technology to deliver:
- Fast and reliable results
- AI-enhanced personalized result reports for learners and organizations
- Over 600 free online resources for learners to increase their skills
- Fully bilingual assessments
Our goal is simple: help organizations turn assessment results into meaningful action.
