PowerShift - Reading Materials - Chapter 02: PowerShift for Career Development Professionals

Your client’s experience in these roles, and the tourism and hospitality industry, means that they possess many competencies (i.e., Skills and Knowledge) that are transferable and desirable in other sectors, particularly the electricity industry.

We all have a unique blend of competencies that we take with us to every new work assignment. Throughout our careers, our competencies change. Many of us, however, fail to recognize the skills and knowledge that we possess; we tend to underestimate our abilities, or we don’t make the connection between the skills that we have, the experiences that we have lived and worked, and how these skills and experiences transfer into new roles and opportunities. This resource will help you guide your clients to make these connections.

Outreach and Client Relations

Including direct networking, collaborating and communication with stakeholders, customers, and clients. Common Tourism and Hospitality occupations in outreach and communications include:

• Event Coordinator
• Event Manager
• Tour Director/Guide
• Front Desk Agent
• Reservation Sales Agent
• Brand Ambassador
• Sales and Marketing Representative

Marketing and Communications

Including developing engaging digital and print media marketing and communications campaigns, public relations initiatives and engagement campaigns to support buy-in. Common Tourism and Hospitality occupations in marketing and communications include:

• Marketing Manager
• Director of Marketing

Sales and Business Development

Including developing their business strategies, forming partnerships, and working to educate and engage potential clientele. Common Tourism and Hospitality occupations in sales and business development include:

• (Reservation) Sales Agent
• Sales Manager
• Travel Manager
• Hotel General Manager
• Director of Sales and Marketing
• Group Sales Representative

Your client’s experience in these roles, and the tourism and hospitality industry, means that they possess many competencies (i.e., Skills and Knowledge) that are transferable and desirable in other sectors, particularly the electricity industry.

There are 3 main types of competencies:

1. Technical: these competencies are specific to a role and are often learned through specific training and on the job learning. Examples include: Human Resources Management; Sales and Marketing; inventory Management; Front Desk Services
2. Non-Technical: these competencies are important workplace skills that are used to complete our day to day tasks. Examples include: Excellence in Service Delivery; Professionalism; Health and Safety; Security; Cleanliness; Digital Competence; Organizational P&P; ICT Foundations
3. Foundational: these competencies are important for all aspects of our lives and allow us to interact with family, friends and colleagues. Examples include: Reading, Writing, Numeracy, Creativity, Problem Solving, Adaptability, Working with Others, Communication, Judgement and Reasoning.

We all have a unique blend of competencies that we take with us to every new work assignment. Throughout our careers, our competencies change. Many of us, however, fail to recognize the skills and knowledge that we possess; we tend to underestimate our abilities, or we don’t make the connection between the skills that we have, the experiences that we have lived and worked, and how these skills and experiences transfer into new roles and opportunities. This resource will help you guide your clients to make these connections.

Step 1: Identifying Transferable Skills
Use this self-assessment tool to identify transferable skills that your clients possess that are critical for various roles in the electricity industry. This inventory should take approximately 10 minutes to complete and will serve as an indicator for how to proceed with the additional tools and resources.

Download the Self Assessment Tool

Step 2: Reflect on What Motivates Your Client
This self-reflection exercise can be completed by your client on their own or through a discussion with you. The purpose of this exercise is to take a high-level view of what factors motivate your client and impact their career decisions.

Download the Self-Reflection Exercise

Step 3: Tourism and Hospitality Industry Career Profiles
These tourism and hospitality career profiles have been developed through the lens of transferable skills. Based on the results of the transferable skills inventory exercise, you can select and focus on the profiles for roles that your client has performed and review the transferable skills that they have gained through their experience. This review may lead to the identification of additional transferable skills not captured in the self-assessment.

1. Outreach & Client Relations
2. Sales & Business Development
3. Marketing & Communications

Step 4: Consider Your Client’s Potential in the Electricity Industry
Use this resource to further discover a range of electricity industry careers based on:

• Transferable functions (Outreach and Client Relations, Sales and Business Development; and Marketing and Communications)
• Degree of transferability based on shared competencies (i.e., skills and knowledge)

Explore Job Opportunities

Peruse the websites of electrical utilities and renewable energy contractors to explore job opportunities or to upload your client’s resume. Check out Magnet for current opportunities offered by our industry members and partners.

Browse the Job Board

Sign-up your Client for Mentorship

Sign up your client for EHRC’s Mentor Junction to be matched with an experienced professional in the electricity industry.

Join Mentor Junction

Enroll your Client in the Professional Skills Training Program

Encourage your client to complete the EHRC Professional Skills Training Program to develop more skills and knowledge that our employers value most.

Professional Skills Training Program