Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador

Essential Skills

Essential Skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. Essential Skills are not only technical skills. Essential Skills are attitudes and abilities. They are the foundational skills for learning all other practical social and workplace skills.

Essential Skills impact everyone, without exception.

We use Essential Skills to:

  • Read language text
  • Use documents (charts, blueprints, forms)
  • Solve math problems
  • Write in complete meaningful sentences
  • Speak and present information in a sound, clear manner
  • Work with others in a helpful way
  • Think through problems and find answers
  • Use Computers and new technology
  • Learn new skills and upgrade


Download the Literacy NL Essential Skills poster HERE (pdf).



Don't Think Essential Skills are Important?

This three minute video produced by The Essential Skills Group Inc. provides an overview and explains why having essential skills is necessary for life and work. www.essentialskillsgroup.com



Essential Skills: Worth the Investment: Watch THESE VIDEOS from OLES to learn how important essential skills are to employers trying to meet the challenges of an increasingly digital workplace.

Developed and hosted by NALD in collaboration with Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador.

This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Office of Literacy and Essential Skills.