A typical job described as ‘low-skilled’ is on a factory production line. The work is repetitive and often not considered to need literacy skills. But within this job are extensive ‘hidden’ literacy demands: following production schedules and sheets; understanding verbal instruction; reading dials and gauges; completing quality assurance process; identifying and solving workflow problems; anticipating maintenance issues; filling in incident reports; understanding performance graphs; following health and safety procedures; contributing in team meeting; and following machine set-up procedures. Getting these tasks wrong may cost a firm production and time, or result in an employee being injured.

‘Low-skilled’ is not an accurate description of this job after all.