Skills & Competencies

Supporting the perfect fit for the perfect job.

Skills & Competencies

Skills and competencies are often used interchangeably which is understandable given the close relationship between the two.

We like to say that skills define specific learned activities. Knowing the skills of an individual helps to understand their fit for a job. Skills are also an integral component of a competency. Competencies refer to the right mix of skills, knowledge and on the job ability to succeed in a position.

A person’s competencies can be evaluated through resumes, interviews, various assessments and with job performance.

Competencies are important to the success of a business.

  • Assist in creating accurate job descriptions for recruitment and advancement
  • Assist in assessing potential employees against specific benchmarked criteria
  • Set standards for achievement and key performance indicators
  • Link training and development policy and strategy to business objectives
  • Reviewing and rewarding employee performance
  • Contribute to improvements in retention, job satisfaction and job performance

Food Skills Library

FPSC has developed the first national online skills library for the food and beverage manufacturing industry.This is your reference library for career skills and competencies and is also available via the App Store and Google Play. Employers and employees have easy access to hundreds of documents including National Occupational Standards, essential skills, job descriptions, skills assessment checklists and language benchmarks. The resources are applicable to positions in food safety, equipment and facilities, maintenance, research & development, food production, supply chain & logistics, marketing, sales, and human resources & finance.

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National Occupational Standards

The framework for careers - the national occupational standards provide the knowledge and skills requirements for a job. To be successful employers and employees need to have clear expectations for top performance. Learn more about how the national occupational standards can support you.

Essential Skills Profiles

Visit the Food Skills Library to gain access to essential skills for dozens of jobs in food and beverage manufacturing. Learn about the essential skills profiles for reading, communications, digital technology and more.

Essentials Skills Profiles top
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Job Competencies & Descriptions

Do you need to better understand the competencies required for certain activities in the workplace? The Food Skills Library provides human resource professionals with a host of detailed competencies for general and specific work functions.

Assessment Checklist & Language Benchmark

The most concise and user-friendly assessment checklists can be accessed in the Food Skills Library. For human resource professionals these tools make performance assessments consistent and fair for everyone involved. And when English-language proficiency levels need to be provided, language benchmarks for a variety of jobs are also available.

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Occupation Specific Skills Manual

If you are looking for core food production competencies for a particular occupation visit the Food Skills Library. Find detailed information on job descriptions, skills, competencies and training courses - all at your fingertips.

Guides & Workbooks

Interested in learning more about future trends, certification, Canada's Learning Recognition Framework or other tools to succeed? Visit the Food Skills Library for a number of informative resources.

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Career Ladders

One of our most popular resources - career ladders illustrate the progression from foundational to senior leadership positions. If you are interested in the career pathway to greater responsibilities within a job or sector, this resource available in the Food Skills Library is for you.