Essential Skills Manual - Automotive Service Technician

Oral Communication

GUIDELINES

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE

TECHNICIAN

NOC 7321

Page 189

Automotive Service Technician

NOC 7321

Learners will perform tasks which use speech to give and exchange

thoughts and information

Introduction

Success in technical training and effective job performance require strong Essential
Skills. Although all Essential Skills contribute to success, this guide is intended to
help apprentices develop positive Oral Communication (OC) for their trade.
Competence in oral communication provides the foundation for better performance
in technical training, on the job, and when mentoring new apprentices.

Strong oral communication skills are required in every occupation. In fact, many
surveys indicate that it is one of the most highly valued skills among employers as
it is intimately tied to everyday workplace functions. Oral Communication in trade
occupations is usually presented face to face, by telephone, or by two-way radio
with a number of factors affecting the transfer of the message.

The following guide is an introduction to the basic principles and methods of oral
communication with an emphasis on the importance of speaking, listening and
interacting in the context of customer service and interpersonal communication.

A list of resources (see Appendix A) has been outlined for each objective in the Oral
Communication Curriculum Framework and, where possible, includes online website
materials that complement these resources. All information is presented in a
generic manner; the contextualization to specific trades will be found in the
expected tasks of each trade, determined by the instructor.

The list of resources has been designed to act only as a guide and may, therefore,
need to be adapted to meet the needs of individuals or groups. It is the role of you,
the instructor, to choose materials and deliver its content as it best suits individual
learner needs. A variety of materials are listed under each set of competencies for
this purpose.

Oral Communication in Trades Occupations

To make the most of technical training, apprentices need to develop strategies for
effective listening, as well as the confidence and speaking skills to ask for help.
These same strategies are used in the workplace to interact with co-workers,
supervisors, workers in other trades, suppliers and customers. Understanding the
many elements in the communications process helps apprentices send clear
messages and understand the messages received.