Work Place Essential Skills  

Program Title

Key Concepts:

Orientation

1. Why and how the Workplace Essential Skills television series was created.

2. What the PBS LiteracyLink project is.

3.  Overview of the video series with excerpts from such programs as “Applying for Jobs,”“Planning to Work,”“Measurements and Formulas,”“Solving Problems,”“A Process for Writing,”“Working Together,”and “Communicating with Customers.”

4. Description of the student workbooks.

5. Overview of the on-line lessons.

6. Where to find help.

1. Planning to  Work

1. Find out what you’re good at.

2. Look for help, check the library and employment agencies.

3. Set goals, create a plan, and decide if you need training.

4. Learn about different jobs and see if they meet your needs.

5. Make a change.

2.  Matching Skills and Jobs

1. Find out what you’re good at and what employers are looking for.

2. Learn the value of training in reaching your long-term goals.

3. Find out how employers advertise for employees.

4. Make a good impression in person and over the phone.

5. Don’t give up.

3. Applying for Jobs

1. How employers screen applicants.

2. What’s on an application form and what it’s used for.

3. Successful applications.

4. An application is your first interview.

4. Resumes, Tests and Choices

1. Resumes: what they are and how employers use them.

2. How to best describe your skills, experience, and education.

3. Where to find resources and assistance.

4. The cover letter.

5. Be prepared for skills tests, drug tests and background checks.

6. What to consider when weighing job and training choices.

5.  Interviewing

1. Start your interview off right: the opening conversation.

2. Preparing for difficult questions; what employers want to know.

3. What kinds of kinds of questions to ask... and what not to ask.

4. How to leave the interview with a good impression.

5. Make the most of your first interview.

6.  Ready for Work

1. Plan for work... and make a back-up plan.

2. Expect the unexpected.

3. How and why to make a good impression.

4. Plan to learn.

5. The how and why of fitting in.

7.  Workplace Safety

1. Workplace safety is everyone’s job.

2. Two kinds of safety training: prevention and response.

3. Be aware of dangerous situations and know company policies.

4. Pay attention to labels, know where to find safety information.

5. Learn to spot and handle safety hazards.

6. Workplace safety depends upon trust.

8.  Learning to Work

1.  Coping strategies for the first days on a new job.

2. How to deal with paperwork and prioritize.

3. How to get the most from your training.

4. Learn from feedback; use feedback to improve.

5. Use your job as an opportunity for growth.

6. Keep your goals in mind and plan how to attain them.

9.  The Language of Work

1.  Workplace communication—an overview.

2. Successful two-way communication.

3. Communicating with co-workers and supervisors.

4. Communicating with customers—be a good listener.

5. How to develop a professional communication style.

6. Strategies for improving communication skills.

10.  Communicating with Co-Workers and Supervisors

1. Communicating at work—who, what, and why.

2. How negativity can spread.

3. How to communicate with supervisors and learn from feedback.

4. Positive solutions for problem situations.

5. How and when to find help.

11.  Working Together

1. Definition of a team and teamwork.

2. Team goals/team responsibilities.

3. Action plans.

4. More from the mix: how teams benefit from diversity.

5. Qualities of effective leaders and team members.

6. Benefits of teams.

12. Communicating with Customers

1. The importance of serving the customer.

2. Find out what will satisfy the customer.

3. Understand the customer’s point of view.

4. Turn a negative into a positive.

5. Find out how a customer feels and keep the customer satisfied.

6. Good customer service in person and on the phone.

13.  A Process for Writing

1. Workplace writing is “writing with a purpose.”

2. Writing to communicate and to document events.

3. The writing process outlined.

4. Understanding your audience and your purpose for writing.

14.  Supplying Information:  Directions, Forms and Charts

1. Strategies for supplying information on charts and forms.

2. Strategies for writing clear directions.

3. Strategies for using labels, lists, and signs to organize.

15.  Writing Memos and Letters

1. The function of business writing.

2. Steps in the writing process:

• determine your purpose and audience;

• choose the best format;

• gather facts;

• write a draft;

• revise and proofread the draft;

• distribute your finished piece.

16.  Reading for a Purpose

1. What and how you read, depending on your purpose.

2. Workplace reading materials that can help you.

3. Strategies for reading short documents.

4. Strategies for reading long documents.

5. How to find information and to compare what you’ve found.

6. What to do if you don’t understand what you’re reading.

17.  Finding What You Need:  Forms and Charts

1. How and why forms are used in the workplace.

2. Strategies for dealing with forms.

3. How and why charts are used in the workplace.

4. How to read a chart.

5. How to deal with difficult or confusing charts and forms.

18.  Following Directions

1. Types of instructions in the workplace.

2. Strategies for dealing with directions.

3. The use of diagrams, maps, or flow charts in the workplace.

4. Features of diagrams, maps, and drawings.

5. Benefits of figuring out how to do things on your own.

19.  Reading Reports and Manuals

1. Memos and short messages, and prioritizing your reading.

2. Using the title, table of contents, index, and other guides to find what you need.

3. Effective research strategies: how to find and compare information from several sources.

20.  Number Sense

1. Number sense is our ability to understand numbers.

2. How to use grouping, sorting, and ordering to organize work.

3. Using number sense to set up and solve problems.

4. When, why, and how you estimate.

5. Using computers and pencil and paper to calculate.

21.  Solving Problems

1. Decisions are a part of every job; a problem solving process can help.

2. Steps in the problem-solving process.

3. Estimation gets easier with experience.

4. Many workplaces provide formulas to solve common problems.

5. Working on a problem means sticking with it.

22.  Fractions, Decimals and Percents

1. Build on what you know and review the rules.

2. Understand what numbers mean and how to calculate.

3. Fractions and decimals are both parts of a whole.

4. Rates describe relationships—inches per foot, price per pound, etc.

5. Look for examples or use your imagination to visualize your problem.

23.  Measurements and Formulas

1. Picture the sizes you’re working with by thinking of examples you can relate to and calculate following the same rules you learned in school.

2. Choose a tool that’s made for your measuring task.

3. Consider the shape of what you’re measuring.

4. Use a familiar measurement to help judge the reasonableness of your numbers.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

6. Learn to use the right tool for the job.

24.  Trends and Predictions:  Graphs and Data

1. Why and how you might collect data on the job.

2. How data is used—to make comparisons, track growth, and analyze problems.

3. How data is displayed—uses of bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs.

4. The importance of understanding what a graph really shows.

5. How to use graphs to draw conclusions.