Overview
Employability skills enable people to find, keep and progress in work, regardless of the job or industry. Employability skills include a mix of literacy, numeracy, digital, communication, problem-solving and work‑navigation skills that enable people to understand and participate confidently in employment.2 3 4
When developing employability skills, it is important to focus on how the individual naturally operates at their best, and how those strengths translate into the workplace. Employability skills can look different depending on the person, their employment goal and their workplace.5
A note on language: We have used the term ‘employability skills’, as it is the term preferred by industry and used most frequently in the literature. Other common terms include generic skills, key competencies, employment literacy, transferable skills, core skills and soft skills.
Key strategies for success
Employability skills can improve employment outcomes for people with disability.6 7 Some strategies to support this include:
- identifying appropriate and accessible training opportunities to build employability skills that are relevant to the person’s goals
- encouraging strengths-based skill development in real-world settings (such as on the job, through work placements, or volunteering in the community)8
- promoting inclusive workplace practices, including appropriate adjustments where needed, leadership and ongoing support.
Teach employability skills inside real work tasks. Pick one task, break it into steps, and coach the skill as it happens so learning sticks and feels useful.