Skills for Success (formerly Essential Skills) are nine foundational skills identified by the Government of Canada that individuals need to participate and thrive in the Canadian labour market. These skills enable individuals to learn job-specific technical competencies, adapt to workplace demands and succeed across industries.
The nine Skills for Success are:
- Adaptability
- Creativity and Innovation
- Collaboration
- Communication (speaking and listening)
- Digital Skills
- Numeracy
- Problem Solving
- Reading
- Writing
Benefits of investing in skills
Developing these skills supports stronger workforce participation and long-term career growth. Individuals with well-developed Skills for Success are better equipped to:
- Apply advanced numeracy skills such as budgeting, calibrations and estimation.
- Build confidence and motivation.
- Increase earning potential.
- Improve job readiness and employability.
- Strengthen productivity and technical skill development.
- Work effectively in teams.
Benefits for career development practitioners, educators, employers and trainers
- Identify candidate readiness beyond resumes.
- Improve hiring outcomes and employee retention.
- Measure apprenticeship readiness to support selection decisions.
- Pinpoint workforce skill gaps.
- Support targeted training and upskilling through workforce initiatives
- Support career development, workforce transition and succession planning.
Benefits for individuals
- Access customized learning plans.
- Explore career pathways with built-in guidance tools (Optional feature).
- Gain a clear understanding of your current skill levels.
- Identify strengths and areas for growth.
- Improve confidence and job readiness.
Skills for Success assessment tool
Integrated Skills Indicator for Growth, Hiring and Training (INSIGHT)
The Centre for Continuing Education at Sask Polytech uses the Integrated Skills Indicator for Growth, Hiring and Training (INSIGHT) tool to measure essential skills. INSIGHT is a validated assessment platform built using real workplace tasks to evaluate skill levels in areas such as reading, numeracy and digital skills. The results provide meaningful insights to identify skill gaps and guide targeted training and development.
Key features:
- Aligned with the Government of Canada Skills for Success framework.
- Flexible online delivery across devices.
- Fully bilingual platform.
- Secure administrative options.
- Modular, customizable assessments.
- Personalized learning plans.
- Optional built-in career counselling tool.
INSIGHT is a nationally adopted platform, with more than 1.8 million assessments delivered across sectors, including governments, Indigenous communities, educational institutions and employers.
Contact us to learn more about Skills for Success, getting started with an INSIGHT assessment and how we can help support your goals.
Upcoming training events
| Event: | Skills for Success Training and INSIGHT Admin Certification Workshop |
| Date: | September 23 and 24, 2026 |
| Description: | Join this interactive workshop to explore Skills for Success, learn how the INSIGHT assessment works, how to use the essential skill job profile databases and complete INSIGHT administrative certification. You will also learn about resources and tools to strengthen Skills for Success levels in clients, employers and learners. |
| Registration: | Pre-registration is required. Please email skillsforsuccess@saskpolytech.ca to secure your spot. |
Contact us
If you have questions or want to know more, email skillsforsuccess@saskpolytech.ca or phone 306-775-7565.
