Dr. Engr. Md. Sakawat Ali

E-mail: sakawat_ali@yahoo.com

Technical skills are the abilities and knowledge needed to perform specific tasks. They are practical, and often relate to mechanical, information technology, mathematical, or scientific tasks. Some examples include knowledge of programming languages, mechanical equipment, or tools. On the other hand Vocational skills are skills you gain toward becoming knowledgeable in a specific trade or profession.

Many technical skills require training and experience to master. They are also typically a type of hard skill. Hard skills are those that can be taught in a classroom, and can be defined, evaluated, and measured (as opposed to soft skills, which are personal attributes that help you succeed at work). Technical skills are often most important for jobs related to information technology (IT) and other fields in the sciences, many other industries also want employees with at least some technical skills.

In addition to the technical skills that are needed in the workplace, your command of job-specific skills can help ensure you get hired or promoted. Often technical, hard, and job-specific skills are interchangeable, but this is not always the case. Of course, required skills will vary based upon the job for which you're applying, so be sure to be specific when listing hardware, software, programs, applications, etc. Depending on the job you seek, a batch of skills can be referred to as a skill set or hybrid skills, as these skills often go together within a specific profession or industry.

Examples of Technical and Vocational Skills

ü  Designer

ü  Customer Service Representative

ü  Marketing Assistant.

ü  Medical Records Technician.

ü  Emergency Medical Technician.

ü  Electrician.

ü  Truck Driver

ü  Hair Stylist.

Importance of Technical Skills

Technical skills are important for many reasons. They can help us work more efficiently, boost our confidence and make us a more valuable candidate for employers. In addition, employees with a technical skill are often better at multitasking in a challenging and complex role.

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