Toolbox - MHFE

Employability skills
Employability skills are transferable skills that employers need staff to have.
They are important for all of us so that we can get, keep and progress in
employment. When recruiting staff many employers consider some of these
skills (like literacy, numeracy, communication and personal presentation) to be
‘deal breakers’.
We learn our employability skills through all sorts of experiences and
continue to develop them throughout our lives. There are courses available
in employability skills, but there is evidence that people generally learn
these skills best through practical real-life experiences, vocational courses,
volunteering and work.
We have identified ten transferable employability skills. Most fit with the skills
employers say they need, but we have also suggested another (resilience)
that can be particularly important for promoting mental health and well-being
and recovery. The key for these skills is on each card and lets you browse the
toolbox by employability skills. For example, if you want to find programmes
that will help people in thinking, getting or keeping literacy skills, look for the
light green literacy box shown on the key.