Employability Skills
Employability Skills tests workplace readiness: attendance, teamwork, communication, safety compliance, resume writing and interview behaviour. The exam rewards specific examples of what you did, not general claims.
Core behaviours
- Be punctual and follow the supervisor's instructions; report hazards and near misses.
- Work in a team: share tools, coordinate with masons and electricians, and close out your task.
- Keep a simple resume: trade, tools known, safety training, work experience and contact details.
- In an interview, use the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Follow workplace ethics: no theft, no false records, no unsafe shortcuts.
- Keep learning: new fittings, codes and digital tools.
Worked example
Interview question: 'Tell me about a leak you fixed.' Weak answer: 'I am hardworking.' STAR answer: 'In a hostel bathroom (S), the concealed hot-water joint was leaking (T). I isolated the line, cut out the failed section, re-made the CPVC joint and pressure-tested at 6 bar (A). The leak stopped and the bathroom reopened the same day (R).' The result is specific and verifiable.
Traps
A generic resume, blaming a teammate, or claiming a skill you cannot demonstrate costs marks. Also, arriving late for an interview undoes a good technical answer.