--- title: "Manufacturing Skills Training: Soft Skills versus Hard Skills" description: Manufacturing skills training encompasses both hard and soft skills. Soft skills are essential to succeeding in the future manufacturing job market. image: https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/factory-1593842_1920-2.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/manufacturing-skills-training-soft-skills-versus-hard-skills#main) - FAQs - [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news) - [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events) - [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://ontarioeast.ca/happenings/our-team-partners) - [About Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/about-us/) - Search [![site_main_logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/site_main_logo.svg) ![site_main_logo_scrolled](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/site_main_logo_scrolled.svg) ![Ontario East Economic Development logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=245&height=150&name=logo.png) ![Ontario East Economic Development logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=245&height=150&name=logo.png)](https://ontarioeast.ca/) - [Show submenu for Regional Profile Regional Profile](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/) - [Our Communities](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/our-communities/) - [Advantages](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/advantages/) - [Workforce](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/workforce/) - [Incentives and Funding](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/incentives-and-funding/) - [Success Stories](https://ontarioeast.ca/success-stories/) - [Available Properties](https://ontarioeast.ca/available-properties/) - [Show submenu for Key Employment Sectors Key Employment Sectors](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/) - [Advanced Manufacturing](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/advanced-manufacturing/) - [Food and Beverage](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/food-and-beverage/) - [Logistics and Transportation](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/logistics-and-transportation/) - [Other](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/other/) - [Show submenu for Members Members](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Member Directory](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Become a Member](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/become-a-member/) - [Membership Application Form](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/membership-application-form/) - [Regional Marketing Committee](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/regional-marketing-committee/) - [Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) Open main navigation Menu Close main navigation Menu - Search - Show submenu for Regional Profile Regional Profile - Regional Profile - [Regional Profile](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/) - [Our Communities](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/our-communities/) - [Advantages](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/advantages/) - [Workforce](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/workforce/) - [Incentives and Funding](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/incentives-and-funding/) - [Success Stories](https://ontarioeast.ca/success-stories/) - [Available Properties](https://ontarioeast.ca/available-properties/) - Show submenu for Key Employment Sectors Key Employment Sectors - Key Employment Sectors - [Key Employment Sectors](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/) - [Advanced Manufacturing](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/advanced-manufacturing/) - [Food and Beverage](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/food-and-beverage/) - [Logistics and Transportation](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/logistics-and-transportation/) - [Other](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/other/) - [FAQs](https://ontarioeast.ca/faqs/) - [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news/) - [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events/) - Show submenu for Members Members - Members - [Members](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Member Directory](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Become a Member](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/become-a-member/) - [Membership Application Form](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/membership-application-form/) - [Regional Marketing Committee](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/regional-marketing-committee/) - [Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) - [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://oemc.ca/) - [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) - [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) Search ![Canada, Employment Ontario, Government of Ontario logos](https://ontarioeast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ontario-employment-logos.svg) This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. # Manufacturing Skills Training: Soft Skills versus Hard Skills For Ontario East April 17, 2019 ![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/factory-1593842_1920-2.jpg?width=565&name=factory-1593842_1920-2.jpg) When you're getting ready for [a career](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/dont-count-yourself-out-of-the-manufacturing-job-market), you often think in terms of training for the specific job you'll be doing. This is called hard [skills development](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/what-skills-do-you-need-for-the-future-of-work) or training; an example of manufacturing skills training could be learning how to weld or computer coding. Job training focuses on the hard skills you need to do the job successfully. And you need to learn those skills in any job you do. But skills training encompasses a broader way of approaching a job. Skills training includes the soft skills. **Soft skills are a combination of:** - People skills - Social skills - Communication skills - Character or personality traits - Attitudes - Career attributes - Social intelligence - Emotional intelligence All these skills enable you to navigate your environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve your goals with the complementing hard skills necessary to do your job. Soft skills are becoming more important in [any industry](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/why-you-need-to-develop-future-skills-right-now), but especially in manufacturing. ## A More Holistic Approach to Manufacturing Skills Training A more holistic approach to manufacturing skills training ensures that all of your bases are covered. Hard skills are no longer all it takes to be successful in a [manufacturing career](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/discover-some-ontario-manufacturing-success-stories). Soft skills training gives you more flexibility in your career, because instead of being trained for one job, you're being trained for a set of skills you can transfer across different [manufacturing jobs](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/life-in-eastern-ontario-is-supported-by-modern-manufacturing), perhaps through different sectors, and throughout your entire career. ![null](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jJ1wlv12lrIqK1S1Axd0B7U-zoB9tOLRL-6SaTVppn744byZS86gfG6uZa_GD8_llp2TT8_Ee57saIzt7u7p5uO4K9UhMDHfPuFBURYw_qQj9ZIdlx5ziCzj8G4syFp7Hz4P8A20) [RBC](https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/_assets-custom/pdf/RBC13C-Future-Skills-Report-Methodology.pdf) released a report on the skills Canadians will need in the workforce over the next several years. RBC highlighted **6 basic skills** including: 1. Reading comprehension 2. Active listening 3. Writing 4. Speaking 5. Mathematics 6. Science And **4 content skills** including: 1. Critical thinking 2. Active learning 3. Learning strategies 4. Monitoring The current [4th industrial revolution](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/the-4th-industrial-revolution-and-what-it-means-for-your-job-search) (the 4th major industrial era since the initial Industrial Revolution of the 18th century) is the perfect example of why you need to focus more on your skills; because this revolution is changing all industries. Eastern Ontario’s high-tech, stable and lean manufacturing industry has changed rapidly with the introduction of [technological advances](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/eastern-ontario-manufacturing-embraces-technology-adoption). Manufacturing is having to work smarter, operate more efficiently, and be prepared to innovate. If the industry is having to embrace new ways of doing its work, then you as its employee will need to as well. And for that, you need both the soft and hard skills. ## Find Out More About Eastern Ontario From Our Quality of Life Infographic [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4499088/92c12136-ea49-4a5e-9342-a7bec3227eb0.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4499088/92c12136-ea49-4a5e-9342-a7bec3227eb0) *External links are provided as informational resources only and are not necessarily endorsed by Ontario East.* **References:** [**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft\_skills**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills) [**https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/\_assets-custom/pdf/RBC13C-Future-Skills-Report-Methodology.pdf**](https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/_assets-custom/pdf/RBC13C-Future-Skills-Report-Methodology.pdf) [**https://www.manufacturingglobal.com/logistics/manufacturing-sector-set-significant-change-2018**](https://www.manufacturingglobal.com/logistics/manufacturing-sector-set-significant-change-2018) [**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth\_Industrial\_Revolution**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Industrial_Revolution) ![Ontario East](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/Ontario%20Website%202021/Mask%20Group%20(11).png) ## Ontario East [For job seekers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/tag/for-job-seekers) - [![linkedin-1](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg) Post](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontarioeast/) - [![square-x-twitter](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/square-x-twitter.svg) Post](https://x.com/OntarioEast) - [![facebook](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/facebook.svg) Share](https://www.facebook.com/Ontario.East/) - [![envelope-solid](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/envelope-solid.svg) Email](mailto:info@ontarioeast.ca) ## You Might Also Be Interested In ### [![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/increase%20job%20prospects.jpg?height=485&name=increase%20job%20prospects.jpg) August 09, 2019 Increase Your Job Prospects with SkillsAdvance Ontario (SAO) Read Now For job seekers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/increase-your-job-prospects-with-skillsadvance-ontario-sao) ### [![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/jpD0U9eIU_SYk1jqtixeRNBBFH6TZf9pNYar5zKIipORjWSnK9XzRDuugxXx3ZcWSJRJ0k0mIo9y1zFapGyesOZLRbu1hu0RjBEoTEtVUYVX_Ytb0yAlGf8ZWbiDr2eYy_o3jOuN.jpg?height=485&name=jpD0U9eIU_SYk1jqtixeRNBBFH6TZf9pNYar5zKIipORjWSnK9XzRDuugxXx3ZcWSJRJ0k0mIo9y1zFapGyesOZLRbu1hu0RjBEoTEtVUYVX_Ytb0yAlGf8ZWbiDr2eYy_o3jOuN.jpg) December 17, 2018 What Skills Do You Need for the Future of Work Read Now For job seekers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/what-skills-do-you-need-for-the-future-of-work) ![](https://ontarioeast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mask-Group-4.svg) ## Subscribe to our eNewsletter ###### CONTACT US (613) 634-8569 623 Fortune Crescent, Suite 100 Kingston, ON K7P 0L5 [Email Us](mailto:info@ontarioeast.ca) ###### LINKS [Regional Profile](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/) [Available Properties](https://ontarioeast.ca/available-properties/) [Key Employment Sectors](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/) [FAQs](https://ontarioeast.ca/faqs/) [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news/) [Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) [Members](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) [About Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/about-us/) [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events/) [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://ontarioeast.ca/ontario-east-municipal-conference/) [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) ###### ZoomProspector [Admin Access Login](https://auth.zoomprospector.com/Account/Login?returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.zoomprospector.com%2FAccount%2FLoginCallback%3FreturnUrl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fadmin.zoomprospector.com%252F) © Ontario East Economic Development, 2026 Acme Co, Inc. 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