Welcome to the FAQs, or Frequently Asked Questions, page of the Essential Employability Skills web site. This area is a repository of answers to common questions that have been received by the Essential Employability Skills Working Group.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you cannot find the answers to your questions on this page. As more questions are submitted, we will continue to update this page.
Follow the question links below to "jump" to the answer further down the page.

• What does EES stand for?
• What are the EES learning outcomes?
• My program standards contain generic skills. How are they different from Essential Employability Skills?
• What is the difference between general education and Essential Employability Skills?
• How many of the Essential Employability Skills do we have to map?
• When is the deadline for identifying Essential Employability Skills in my course outline?
• What will happen if my course does not address any Essential Employability Skills?
• Do Essential Employability Skills need to be identified in a general education course?
• What do teach, assess, and culminating performance really mean?
• Can I assess an Essential Employability Skill in my course, but not teach it?
• I was given a course outline that indicates my course should assist students in achieving an Essential Employability Skill that I do not cover in my course. Can I just remove that skill from the course outline?

What does EES stand for?

EES stands for Essential Employability Skills.

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What are the EES learning outcomes?

"As defined by the ACCC/HRDC EES Committee in July of 2003, 'Essential Employability Skills (EES) are skills that , regardless of a student's program or discipline, are critical for success in the workplace, in day-to-day living, and for lifelong learning." (Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, "Appendix B: Essential Employability Skills," Framework for Programs of Instruction. Issued April 1, 2003; revised April 1, 2005.)

For programs of study in Ontario community colleges that lead to an Ontario College Certificate, an Ontario College Diploma, or an Ontario College Advanced Diploma, there are eleven (11) EES learning outcomes that must be reliably demonstrated upon graduation.  The eleven EES learning outcomes are

1. 1. communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken, and visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience.
2. 2. respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.
3. 3. execute mathematical operations accurately.
4. 4. apply a systematic approach to solve problems.
5. 5. use a variety of thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems.
6. 6. locate, select, organize, and document information using appropriate technology and information systems.
7. 7. analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant information from a variety of sources.
8. 8. show respect for the diverse opinions, values, belief systems, and contributions of others.
9. 9. interact with others in groups or teams in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals.
10. 10. manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects.
11. 11. take responsibility for one’s own actions, decisions, and consequences.

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My program standards contain generic skills. How are they different from Essential Employability Skills?

Prior to 2004, the part of the program standard that identified transferable skills needed for success in the workplace and in other areas of life referred to these skills as generic skills.
In 2004 the generic skills were reviewed and revised. The updated list of transferable skills expected of all college graduates refers to these skills as Essential Employability Skills (EES).
Previously there were 13 generic skill learning outcomes expected of diploma graduates (graduates of both 2 and 3 year programs) and 11 generic skill learning outcomes expected of graduates from certificate programs. Now there are 11 EES learning outcomes expected of all graduates of programs that lead to any of the Ontario College credentials. The way the graduate will be expected to demonstrate these EES has been described differently for each of the credential levels.

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What is the difference between general education and Essential Employability Skills?

General education and Essential Employability Skills are two different parts of the program standard identified for all college programs leading to Ontario College credentials.
General education courses are designed to provide students with choice and breadth of experience beyond their vocational area of study. This component of the curriculum is included to help learners gain insight into the diversity, complexity and richness of human experience. Learning in these courses builds the knowledge and skills needed to participate actively in society and to recognize the values of social responsibility and good citizenship.
“Essential Employability Skills (EES) are skills that, regardless of a learner’s program or discipline, are critical for success in the workplace, in day-to-day living or for lifelong learning.” (ACCC/HRDC EES Committee, July 2003)
The chart below compares these two components of college programs.

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How many of the Essential Employability Skills outcomes do we have to map?

Programs must show evidence that graduates of their program can reliably demonstrate all 11 Essential Employability Skills. As a result, all 11 outcomes must be mapped.

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When is the deadline for identifying Essential Employability Skills in my course outline?

Essential Employability Skills must be incorporated in all applicable course outlines no later than the beginning of the fall 2006 semester.

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What will happen if my course does not address any Essential Employability Skills?

It is possible that certain courses within a program will not provide an opportunity for reliable demonstration of any of the EES learning outcomes. However, as long as all 11 EES are addressed properly within the program, there is no problem.

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Do Essential Employability Skills need to be identified in a general education course?

As a general principle, all Essential Employability Skills that are covered in a course, regardless of its nature, should be identified on the course outline. This identification will help to better describe the content of the course itself.

In the case of General Education courses, the identification of the EES learning outcomes demonstrated in mandated General Education courses will help the program map and ensure that students have reliably demonstrated all EES learning outcomes prior to graduation. For elective General Education courses, identification of the EES learning outcomes that are covered will help to better understand the nature of the course.

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What do teach, assess, and culminating performance really mean?

EES learning outcomes are taught in a course when the skill appears in one or more of the course learning requirements, and learning activities are planned that allow the learners to develop the identified skill(s). A significant amount of time must be devoted to the development of the skills and knowledge embedded in the outcome.

To assess an EES learning outcome, you must have evaluation methods and tools that allow you to evaluate student performance of the outcome or some of its elements. In your evaluation of student performance, you must verify that this particular outcome (or a significant component of it) has been achieved.

Culminating performances are tasks or activities designed to assess a learner’s ability to demonstrate one or more learning outcomes in its totality. The demonstration of this learning should be

• reliable (i.e., performed more than once),
• in as real-world a situation as possible,
• at a level expected of graduates, and
• integrated with other Vocational or Essential Employability Skills, wherever possible.
  

Culminating Performances often occur near the end of a program of study.

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Can I assess an Essential Employability skill in my course, but not teach it?

It is not necessary to teach and assess EES learning outcomes within the same course. As long as the teaching of a particular outcome precedes the assessment of the outcome, there is no problem.

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I was given a course outline that indicates my course should assist students in achieving an Essential Employability Skill that I do not cover in my course. Can I just remove that skill from the course outline?

Addition and, especially, deletion of content from course outlines should not be undertaken lightly, or without consultation. The Essential Employability Skills outcomes that are identified in a course outline are part of the whole program curriculum. If a skill is removed from the outline, then the program may not comply with provincial standards.
Professors should design courses to address all the Essential Employability Skills that are indicated in their outlines. Program co-ordinators or any member of the EES committee can help to integrate these skills at the course level. If you feel that an identified skill is not relevant for your course, you should discuss this matter with your co-ordinator or academic manager.

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If you have further questions, please e-mail them to the Essential Employability Skills Curriculum Committee: ees@algonquincollege.com.

If your question is posted to this site, we may edit the question so that it is applicable to the broader College community. We will, however, reply to you directly and attempt to provide you with as specific an answer to your question as possible.