Skills for Employment - What Are the Most Useful Skills Post-Secondary Students Acquire

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret

The fact sheet explains which employability skills post-secondary graduates say they acquired and how useful those knowledge and skills were for performing their jobs. It summarizes survey results using “very useful,” “somewhat useful,” and “not very useful” ratings across employed former students, apprentices, baccalaureate graduates, and diploma/certificate graduates. It highlights top-rated skills such as communication-related reading comprehension, critical thinking, effective teamwork, and applied abilities like using tools and equipment, with differences by credential type.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Skills for Employment

What are skills for employment?

Knowledge and Skills

Usefulness of knowledge and skills gained

Former Apprentices

Baccalaureate Graduates

Diploma and Certificate Graduates

Conclusion

BCStOutcuonets Shaping Post-Secondary Education BC STUDENT OUTCOMES Skills for Employment: What Are the Most Useful Skills Post-Secondary Students Acquire? What are skills for employment? For many years, the Conference Board of Canada has published a list of employability skills, which they define as, “the skills you need to enter, stay in, and progress in the world of work….” Their list begins with fundamental skills, such as the ability to communicate (e.g., read and understand information) and the ability to think and solve problems then moves to personal management skills, such as the desire to learn continuously, and to teamwork skills, which includes work with others. The Student Outcomes surveys include a series of questions that focus on the specific skills acquired by former students. Many of the skills are employability skills, like the ones described by the Conference Board of Canada: for example, the skill to work effectively with others or to analyse and think critically. Respondents are asked to rate how well their education helped them develop these skills. Knowledge and Skills All employed Student Outcomes survey respondents were asked how useful the knowledge and skills they gained through their education were in performing their jobs. Usefulness of knowledge and skills gained Somewhat useful, 39% Very useful, 48% Not at all useful, 5% % % Not very useful, 9% Note: Percentages are based on employed respondents who graduated from baccalaureate, diploma, or certi cate programs or who completed apprenticeship training. In 2015, over 86% of employed respondents said the knowledge and skills they gained were useful for their work. BCStOutcuonets Shaping Post-Secondary Education Skills for Employment Employed former students were very likely to say that the knowledge and skills they learned were useful for performing their jobs. By focussing on those who said very useful, it was possible to identify the specific skills former students thought were most useful for employment. The ratings for each skill were averaged and those with the highest scores are listed as the “Top-rated skills” below. Former Apprentices Usefulness of knowledge and skills gained Very useful, 57% Not at all useful, 2% Somewhat useful, 36% Not very useful, 4% Note: Based on employed respondents to the apprenticeship survey. Top-rated skills Use tools and equipment Use mathematics Read and comprehend materials Analyse and think critically Work e􀀐ectively with others Note: Based on employed apprenticeship respondents who said that the knowledge and skills they learned were very useful for employment. The scores shown are the means of a four-point scale, from 1=not at all helpful to 4 =very helpful. Most (93%) former apprentices said the knowledge and skills they gained were useful for their work. Using tools and equipment was rated highly by former apprentices. STUDENT OUTCOMES FACT SHEET • Page 2 BCStOutcuonets Shaping Post-Secondary Education Baccalaureate Graduates Usefulness of knowledge and skills gained Very useful, 40% Not at all useful, 4% Not very useful, 11% Somewhat useful, 46% Note: Based on employed respondents to the baccalaureate survey. Top-rated skills Analyse and think critically Learn independently Work e􀀑ectively with others Read and comprehend materials Speak e􀀑ectively 3.54 3.43 3.37 3.30 3.29 Note: Based on employed baccalaureate graduates who said that the knowledge and skills they learned were very useful for employment. The scores shown are the means of a four-point scale, from 1=not at all helpful to 4=very helpful. Over 85% of baccalaureate graduates said the knowledge and skills they learned were useful for employment. The skill to analyse and think critically was given the top rating by baccalaureate graduates. Diploma and Certificate Graduates Usefulness of knowledge and skills gained Very useful, 52% Not at al

FAQs

What employability skills does the report focus on for post-secondary students?

The report centers on skills needed to enter, stay in, and progress in the world of work, including communication and problem-solving, continuous learning, and teamwork.

How is the usefulness of acquired knowledge and skills measured?

Respondents rate how well their education helped them develop specific skills, and results are presented as “very useful,” “somewhat useful,” “not very useful,” and “not at all useful.”

Which skills are top-rated and how do they differ by credential type?

Top-rated skills vary by credential type: apprentices emphasize tools and equipment and mathematics; baccalaureate graduates emphasize critical thinking and independent learning; diploma and certificate graduates highlight reading comprehension and effective teamwork.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret