Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) ESSENTIAL SKILLS Fact Sheet Essential skills are skills that help you to perform the tasks required by your trade and other activities of daily life. They provide the foundation for learning other skills, and made it easier for you to adapt to workplace change. Different trades can require different Essential Skills. The Fact Sheet lists the reading, writing, calculating, thinking and interacting skills that are used in a particular trade. Many of these are needed during your apprenticeship, especially during in-school technical training. The Fact Sheet describes the difficulty level for many of the skills. Look for a number beside the tasks. The levels range from 1 (easier) to 5 (harder). Levels of difficulty, where indicated, have been determined by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). If you want to see whether you have the necessary Essential Skills to do well in in-school technical training technical training, you can complete the Self-Assessment Checklist and the Essential Skills Exercises for a particular trade. Contact the Apprenticeship Branch at (204) 945-3337 or 1-877-978-7233 (Toll Free) for more information. Reading Text Skim and scan label or product information 2 Read technical bulletins, WHMIS and MSD sheets 2 Read webpages and computer-based manuals 2 Read installation instructions or manufacturer s requirements 2 Find information in service, safety operating and other manuals 2-3 Read contract documents, shift schedules, preventive maintenance schedules 2 Read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, sketches, 4 specifications and technical manuals Read regulations and legislation (health and safety, etc.) 4 Read and interpret building codes and standards, such as ASTM, 4 ANSI and CSA, including amendments 2
Use of Documents Understand occupational health and safety hazard symbols 3 Read measuring devices (eg. test equipment, gauges and meters, etc.) 1 Read notes (e.g. sequence of operations) 2 Read information in completed forms 2 Read tables, charts and catalogues 2 Read engineering drawings, schematics, sketches, specifications 4 and technical manuals Writing Write lists or notes for oneself and others 1 Complete time cards, permits requests and forms (i.e., repair orders and invoices, etc.) 2 Maintain logbooks, ledgers and records 1 Maintain service documentation 2 Make sketches, schematics and diagrams Write incident, service and other reports 3 Math Perform basic mathematical operations (calculating materials, bill costs, etc) 2 Estimate time, materials and labour as a job progresses 2-3 Calculate using whole numbers, fractions, percentages, decimals and averages Measure precisely with tools and devices 2 3
Measure from scale drawings 2 Estimate size and dimensions (e.g., rough-in dimensions) 2 Perform conversions (e.g., between metric and imperial, different specifications, etc.) Calculate area, volumes, perimeters and dimensions Calculate with angles, vectors and trignomic constants Calculate pressures and loads Calculate ratios and proportions 3 Calculate tolerances using precision equipment 3 Calculate using a variety of formulas 2-5 Calibrate measuring devices 3 Oral Communication Speaking with and listen to suppliers, customers and laypeople 1 Speak with and listen to jobsite personnel (other trades persons, 1-2 supervisors, owners, engineers and inspectors) Give and receive verbal instructions and supervision 1-2 (including teaching apprentices) Participate in meetings 2 Describe critical safety issues 3 Explain and listen to required processes or flow of activities Provide feedback on quality of work 4
Thinking HRSDC Levels of Difficulty Identify something according to a specific criteria or characteristic Compare and contrast different products and processes for a specific situation in light of cost effectiveness Relate drawn images to concrete objects Select appropriate tool, equipment or process for a given situation Schedule job and work flow Organize and retrieve information Decide on appropriate course of action in a given situation 2-3 Organize materials, time and people to complete a task 3 Memorize details and procedures 3 Integrate information from multiple sources to troubleshoot a problem 3 Establish priorities and precedence Make decisions for problem-solving and trouble-shooting (potentially in a high-risk situation, combining a variety of complex factors) Computer Use Use computer-controlled diagnostic equipment Use computerized maintenance record keeping systems Input data vibration analysis test equipment Use internet browsers Use word processors Use databases Use e-mail 5
In order to do well in technical training, Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) apprentices should also be able to Study and Test-Taking Take notes during a class Read textbooks and learning materials Highlight important information in notes, books or other learning materials Ask questions of the instructor and other students Participate in small group discussions Get information from demonstrations Study for tests Write multiple-choice tests Manage time and assignments For Information contact these Apprenticeship offices or call Toll-free from Rural Manitoba 1-877-978-7233 Winnipeg 1010 401 York Avenue, R3C 0P8 204-945-3337 - Fax 204-948-2346 Brandon 102, 340 9th Street, R7A 6C2 204-726-6365 - Fax 204-726-6912 The Pas 305 4th Street West, R9A 1M4 Box 2550, 204-627-8290 - Fax 204-627-8137 Thompson 118 3 Station Road R8N 0N3 204-677-6346 - Fax 204-677-6689 6