Workplace Essential Skillsis a 25-part telecourse that teaches the attitudes and competencies necessary for success at work.  This series demonstrates basic skills and illustrates how those skills are to be used in realistic workplace settings including construction, manufacturing,health care, and retail/service industries.

Workplace Essential Skills provides motivational, step by step information on how to find and keep a job and focuses on workers from all walks of life, from a rural teenager seeking a career, to a welfare mother learning how to get back into the workforce.  Learn the basic skills to succeed in life, whether it is the first step towards your GED, writing an effective resume, or learning how to communicate with your boss, Workplace Essential Skills provides you with the skills for success.  Visit Literacy Link to learn more about web-based activities to supplement the videos.

Episode Descriptions:

EMPLOYMENT

FINDING A JOB

1. Planning to Work
   Learn about the skills and aptitudes you already have and how to develop new skills for your chosen career path.

2. Matching Skills and Jobs
   Finding a job that really fits your needs and skills can be a long hard process.   Discover how to organize and carry out an effective job search using a variety of resources and tools.

3. Applying for Jobs
   What are employers looking for when they read an application?  Find out how the application process works and how to make sure your application makes the best impression possible.

4. Resumes, Tests, and Choices
   Your resume is your chance to make a good first impression.  Learn how to write an effective resume and how to evaluate job offers to decide which will provide the best opportunity.

5. Interviewing
   How does the interview process work?  Learn what employers look for during an interview, what to say and what to wear, some of the typical questions you'll receive, and how to follow up afterward.

NEW TO THE JOB

6. Ready for Work
   Explore the concept of being "work ready," including how to set goals and plan for problem situations such as cars that won't start or no-show babysitters.

7. Workplace Safety
   Every job carries certain safety risks.  Understanding these risks and knowing how to follow company safety procedures is an important part of being a responsible employee.   Gain a close up look at how workers in a variety of workplace situations deal with safety issues.

8. Learning at Work
   Taking responsiblility for learning on the job is an important step in becoming a valued employee.  Understand the importance of learning at work and discover ways to find out about worksite training and education options.

COMMUNICATION & WRITING

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

9. The Language of Work
   Explore important skills such as speaking clearly, listening actively, and solving problems through effective communications.

10. Communicating with Co-Workers and Supervisors
    Learning how to make your messages clear and complete is an important skill for every employee.  Discover how to use effective communication strategies at work with particular emphasis on conflict resolution skills.

11. Working Together
    Active listening, respect for other team members, and working together to solve problems are essential skills in today's workplaces.  Learn the importance of team work and how to be an effective team member.

12. Communicating with Customers
    Employees at all levels need to be aware of and strive for excellence in customer service.   Learn the important basics of customer service and how to provide it even under difficult circumstances.

WRITING SKILLS

13. A Process for Writing
    Poorly written memos, incomplete messages, and hard-to-read reports can erode productivity and raise stress levels in any workplace.  Learn how to use a process approach to workplace writing and get an inside look at how a variety of workplaces use written communications.

14. Supplying Information: Directions, Forms, and Charts
    Filling out forms accurateely and completely may seem like drudgery but these skills are essential for a smoothly functioning workplace.  Learn how typical businesses use forms and charts and the importance of accuracy and care in handling these workplace tools.

15. Writing Memos and Letters
    Writing effectively in the workplace often involves knowing when, how, and what to write.   many workers lack confidence in their writing skills and as a result often avoid writing even when it's precisely the action that needs to be taken.  Review the writing process to improve your workplace writing.

READING

16. Reading for a Purpose
    Today's workplace requires just about everyone to use reading comprehension skills to get their jobs done.  understand the different ways reading is used on the job and how to use strategies such as skimming and scanning to increase reading efficiency and comprehension.

17. Finding What You Need: Forms and Charts
    Just as it's important to fill out forms and charts carefully, it's also important to know how to read and interpret them accurately.  Learn how charts and forms are used in a variety of workplaces.

18. Following Directions
    Learn how workplaces use diagrams and other written instructions, and discover reading strategies and tips for following directions.

19. Reading Reports and Manuals
    Learn how memos, reports, equipment manuals, and safety procedures are all used to transmit important information, and how reading skills like skimming and scanning can help manage these reading tasks. 

MATH

20. Number Sense
    How is your number sense?  Like common sense, this is a valuable set of skills that helps you organize your life at home and at work.  Find out what number sense is and how to develop it using skills like estimation.

21. Solving Problems
    Kearb abiyt strategies people use to slve probles at work, including basic operations like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing as well as estimating and using a calculator.

22. Fractons, Decimals, and Percents
    Many workplace math problems involve using numbers less than one-- decimals, fractions, and percents.  Leaqrn how to work with these in a variety of workplace situations.

23. Measurements and Formulas
    How much does a liter weigh compared with a quart?  How accurate does the measurement of an infant's head need to be?  Learn how to use measurement tools and typical formulas.

24. Trends and Predictions: Graphs and Data
    Graphs and data track performance of all kinds, whether it's how well a product is doing or how many sales an employee has made that week.  Making sense of graphs and spreadsheets is an important skill.  Learn how data is collected, displayed, and used at work.

ORIENTATION PROGRAM

25. Orientation: Making it Work
    This is an orientation to the course.  Learn how to use the different components of the Workplace Essential Skills series to improve your skills and opportunities.