and Music

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The most commonly accepted definition of skill is: the capacity to put into practice certain
abilities, knowledge, values and attitudes, which are all interconnected, in order to satisfactorily
and measurably carry out a task.
Although the concept of skill is applicable to many fields, here we focus on its professional
aspect, which refers to the “satisfactory performances in real work situations, according to the
standards used in the area of occupation” (Gómez Gras et al. 2006). The International Labour
Organization (IOL) states that “labour competence is the social construction of important and
useful learning for the productive performance in a real work situation that is not only achieved
through education but also and to a great extent through learning through experience in specific
work situations.” (Ducci, 1997)
When applied to the professional world, skills take on certain characteristics (Barraycoa and
Lasaga, 2009):
- they are subject to the production and quality objectives of specific organisations;
- their strengthening largely depends on the training processes undertaken at university;
- their consolidation is achieved through work experience;
- the level of skills determines the selection processes and promotion that take place
within an organisation;
- their attainment and improvement is subject to a process of revision and adaptation that
depends on a changing environment.
Skills, as stated by Echeverria and Martínez (2009), are the indivisible sum of four essential
components (see Figure 1.):
a) Knowing: this comprises the theoretical and technical knowledge that is acquired during
studies in addition to work experience.
b) Know-how: this involves the application of the theoretical knowledge to specific
situations. This methodological and procedural dimension includes abilities and
aptitudes. While ability is the proficiency in carrying out a task, aptitude is the capacity
for good performance in a specific activity.
c) Conduct: this refers to the way we interact with our environment and others. This
interpersonal and relational aspect is related to attitudes in the sense of the mood
manifested at a specific moment.
d) To know how to be: this involves knowing oneself, recognising one’s strengths and
weaknesses, being able to learn, taking responsibility and acting according to one’s
values and convictions.