Job Skill Demonstration

What is job skill demonstration? 

The ability to perform effective technical demonstrations is an important skill for everyone to possess. Students are required to do this throughout their academic years, as special school projects often have to be presented to classmates and teachers. These types of demonstrations are also necessary in the workforce, whether you are giving an update to a project team, making a sales presentation to a client, or trying to convince your supervisor of the validity of a proposal. This skill is invaluable no matter what your career aspirations.  

Completing a well thought out and detailed demonstration can give you confidence in yourself and your abilities. In preparation, you should thoroughly research your topic and make notes on what you need to cover, so that you won’t forget anything. Using your props, practice what you are going to say and do several times to avoid problems later on. Being organized will invariably make the technical demonstration flow more smoothly and aid you in effectively delivering the information you are trying to convey. Be sure to speak in a clear and concise manner in a tone of voice with varying pitch as you describe step by step the skill that you are demonstrating, so that your audience will not only be able to understand you but will also stay interested. 

Job Skill Demonstration and the Skills for Success Program

The key Skills for Success for this career path are:

• Reading
• Writing 
• Communication

 To give good demonstrations you need to be confident and feel comfortable speaking in front of a group. You should be creative and able to think on your feet when answering unexpected questions about the skill you are demonstrating. Flexibility and adaptability are important when things don’t go as planned, although thorough research and good organization beforehand can avert most major mishaps. Speaking clearly and concisely, neither too rapidly nor too slowly, will make a big difference in the quality of your demonstrations. 

 Being able to demonstrate your technical skills is an invaluable asset in any area of work. A demonstration that is both intelligent and appropriate can impress your employer and lead to promotions and higher wages. Communicating effectively, especially in front of a group, is an asset which will increase your personal value and help you to move upward within your chosen career. 

Public speaking

Even though Indigenous cultures are primarily oral ones, some Indigenous and remote job seekers lack experience in both public speaking and skill demonstration in a formal workplace setting. In addition to this, many Indigenous cultures value modesty and teach young people not to boast about themselves or things they can do. This can make job skill demonstrations challenging for Indigenous job seekers. 

As this requires confidence and experience, it will be something that Indigenous and remote job seekers will need plenty of practice doing, as well as support and training, in order to be successful. Candidates are encouraged to spend time with their Elders listening to their stories, as well as how they demonstrate their skills, while also living their cultural values, for examples of how to do this effectively. 

Demonstrating your skills can be a difficult process in general and can be even more daunting if you have a disability. Further to this, public speaking and having people watching you can provoke anxiety and possibly make certain conditions worse. Candidates and those who support them, should work to do everything possible to reduce anxiety and gain comfort with the process. Candidates should work with their supervisors or managers to practice demonstrations well in advance to make sure that they have the confidence to do these successfully. Perhaps starting with small audiences first, could help build confidence gradually and then build up to larger, more public audiences.