Tamil Nadu HSE First Year Employability Skills key terms

The process of sending and receiving information, ideas or feelings between people through words, signs, sounds or body movements, and checking that the message was understood as intended.

The response a receiver gives back to a sender, confirming whether a message was understood or asking for correction. In workplace communication it is the main way speakers learn whether their message worked.

Giving full attention to a speaker, noticing both words and tone, avoiding interruption, and paraphrasing or questioning to confirm understanding before replying.

Messages sent without words, such as facial expression, eye contact, posture, gestures, tone of voice and personal space. These signals often reveal feelings that spoken words hide.

The part of non-verbal communication carried by the body: posture, gestures, nodding, hand movements and how close a person stands. It can support or contradict what is being said.

Restating another person's message in your own words, usually more briefly, to check that you understood it correctly and to show the speaker you were listening.

Any factor that distorts or blocks a message, such as noise, unfamiliar jargon, poor network signal, strong emotion, prejudice or difference in language, leading to misunderstanding.

The accepted rules of polite behaviour in digital messages, email and online meetings, including clear subject lines, no writing in capitals, respecting privacy and replying within reasonable time.

Conventions for professional email: a short specific subject line, a proper greeting, one clear purpose per message, correct spelling, and a signature with your name and contact details.

The ability to control your own behaviour, emotions and time so that you meet commitments without being supervised, including planning tasks, staying calm under pressure and correcting your own mistakes.

Planning and controlling how hours are spent, using to-do lists, priorities and schedules so that important tasks are finished before deadlines rather than left to the last minute.

Deciding a specific result you want to achieve and the date by which you will achieve it, ideally written so that it is measurable and realistic, then breaking it into smaller steps.

Knowing your own strengths, weaknesses, values, habits and typical emotional reactions, which lets you choose work that suits you and manage reactions that could harm performance.

Belief in your own ability to handle tasks and situations, built from preparation, practice and past successes. It helps you speak up, ask questions and accept new responsibilities.

Techniques used to keep pressure at a workable level, such as deep breathing, exercise, breaking large tasks into steps, taking breaks and asking for help before stress becomes harmful.

Delaying a task you know you should do, often because it feels difficult or unpleasant. It is reduced by splitting work into small steps and starting with a short timed session.

Information and Communication Technology: the hardware, software, networks and services used to create, store, process, send and receive information digitally, including computers, phones and the internet.

The physical parts of a computer system that you can touch, such as the keyboard, monitor, processor, memory, hard disk and printer, as distinct from the programs that run on them.

The programs and instructions that tell computer hardware what to do. System software runs the machine; application software lets a user write documents, calculate, browse or design.

The main system software that starts a computer, manages memory, files and devices, and provides the interface through which users open and run other programs.

The worldwide network of connected computers that allows users to browse websites, send email, make video calls and share files, using common addressing and communication rules.

Practices that protect you and your data online: strong unique passwords, not sharing personal details, verifying links, avoiding unknown downloads and logging out on shared devices.

A trick in which a message, call or fake website pretends to be a trusted organisation to make you reveal passwords, bank details or one-time codes. Verify the sender before responding.

Protecting accounts with long, hard-to-guess passwords, a different password for each important account, and keeping them private rather than writing them where others can see.

Software that stores numbers and text in rows and columns of cells and can calculate totals, averages and charts automatically when values change, widely used for budgets and records.

A person who spots a problem or need in the market, organises money, materials and people, takes on the risk, and creates a product or service that customers pay for.

The activity of starting and running a business venture, involving identifying an opportunity, planning, arranging resources, bearing risk and adapting when customers or conditions change.

A written document describing a venture's product or service, target customers, market, costs, expected income, people involved and steps to start, used to guide decisions and convince lenders.

Collecting information from potential customers about what they need, what they would pay and what competitors offer, so that a business idea is tested before money is invested.

The money left after all costs of running a business are subtracted from total sales revenue. A venture that does not cover its costs makes a loss instead.

The knowledge, abilities and attitudes needed to work in ways that reduce pollution, save energy and water, cut waste and support environmentally sustainable products and jobs.

Meeting present needs without destroying the resources and environmental quality that future generations will depend on, balancing economic, social and environmental considerations.

Energy from sources that naturally replenish, such as sunlight, wind, flowing water and plant material, unlike coal or petrol, which are used up and release polluting gases.

Handling waste in the right order of preference: avoid it, reduce it, reuse items, recycle materials, and only then dispose of the remainder safely without harming people or the environment.

Measures taken at work to prevent injury and illness, including safe equipment, clear procedures, protective clothing, clean surroundings, emergency exits and reporting of hazards.

Any condition, object or activity at work that could cause harm, such as loose wires, wet floors, unguarded machines or chemicals. Hazards are identified, reported and controlled before accidents happen.

A careful look at a task to identify what could go wrong, how serious the harm could be, and what controls will reduce the risk before work begins.

Items worn or used to protect a worker from harm, such as helmets, gloves, goggles, ear protection, safety shoes and masks. It is the last line of defence after other controls.

Immediate basic care given to an injured or ill person before professional medical help arrives, such as stopping bleeding, cooling a burn or placing someone in a safe position.

The general abilities employers expect in almost every job, including communicating clearly, working in a team, managing oneself, using digital tools, solving problems and behaving responsibly at work.

Working cooperatively with others towards a shared goal by sharing tasks fairly, listening to different views, helping colleagues and giving credit for joint achievements.

A step-by-step approach to a difficulty: define the problem clearly, gather information, suggest possible solutions, compare them, choose one, act, and review the result.

An organised collection of a learner's own work, records and reflections, used to demonstrate practical skills and progress during the Employability Skills project work and assessment.

A planned practical assignment in which learners investigate a topic or solve a real problem, produce an output and report on what they did, usually working in a group over several days.