What Are Transferable Skills in Vocational Rehabilitation

Transferable skills analysis is a core part of vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work decision-making in Canada. They guide return-to-work planning, support employability opinions, and shape vocational recommendations when a person cannot return to their pre-injury or pre-illness job.

In these situations, the question is not simply what job did this person do before?
The real question is what skills do they have that can still be used, given their current functional abilities and limitations?

Insurers, employers, and compensation boards expect this reasoning to be clear and well supported. Vocational opinions must show how conclusions were reached, rather than just what occupations were identified. This means moving beyond job titles and relying on a structured analysis of skills, abilities, and work demands.

Across Canada, expectations are also shifting. Skills-based analysis is becoming more prominent as national systems such as the National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021) place greater emphasis on what people do at work, rather than where they have worked. As a result, transferable skills analysis is no longer optional background work. It is a core part of defensible vocational practice.

What Do We Mean by “Transferable Skills”?

Transferable skills are the abilities a person develops through past work, education, and life roles. These are skills that can be carried forward and applied in different jobs or work contexts, even when the original role is no longer suitable.

In vocational rehabilitation, transferable skills are not job titles, personal interests, or personality traits. They are observable abilities that show how someone performs work. This distinction matters, because vocational opinions must be grounded in evidence, not preference or assumption.

Several common misunderstandings can weaken transferable skills analysis:

• Transferable skills are not the same as “any job the person could try.”
• They are not limited to formal job descriptions or resumes.
• They cannot be identified through intuition alone.

Instead, transferable skills require structured analysis of past work tasks, responsibilities, and performance demands. This process helps translate work experience into usable skills that can be matched to other occupations in a clear and defensible way.

Examples of transferable skills include:

• Problem solving
• Coordinating tasks
• Managing information
• Physical abilities such as strength, hand function, or position tolerance
• Communicating with others
• Following procedures under specific conditions

These skills may look different from one job to another, but the underlying ability remains the same. Identifying those patterns is the foundation of effective transferable skills analysis.

Why Transferable Skills Are Not Obvious at First Glance

Transferable skills are often harder to identify than they first appear. Job titles can be misleading, as they hide wide variation in how work is actually performed. Two people with the same job title may complete very different tasks, work under different conditions, and rely on different combinations of skills.

Skills are also shaped by physical, cognitive, and environmental demands. The same task may require more problem solving, coordination, or decision-making depending on pace, workload, supervision, or work setting. These factors influence how a skill is used and whether it can reasonably transfer to another role.

Functional change adds another layer of complexity. Injury, illness, or disability can alter how skills are applied, even when the underlying ability remains present. A skill that was once used in a physically demanding context may still be relevant in a different setting, but only if the new demands align with the person’s current abilities.

This is where professional judgement matters. Identifying transferable skills is not a checklist exercise. It requires clinical reasoning, attention to context, and an understanding of how functional abilities interact with real work demands. Working within scope of practice and using a structured approach helps ensure that transferable skills are identified accurately and applied appropriately in vocational decision-making.

In some cases, transferable skills may also be underutilized in previous roles. For example, a school teacher may have physical capacity well above what their role required, which could be relevant to alternate employment options.

How Transferable Skills Are Identified in Practice

Identifying transferable skills starts with understanding the person. The goal is to understand how someone has worked in the past and how they are able to function now, given the changes in their function related to illness or injury.

In practice, this usually involves:

• Reviewing the person’s work history and key tasks
• Looking closely at how the work was performed, not just what was done
• Considering current physical, cognitive, and psychosocial abilities
• Noting any changes that affect how skills can be used today.

Rather than listing duties, the clinician looks for patterns. These patterns show up in how a person solves problems, follows routines, manages information, interacts with others, or adapts to work demands.

A structured approach helps translate past work into clear, transferable skills that can be reasonably applied to other occupations. This makes the reasoning easier to explain, easier to document, and easier for others to understand.

A Practical Example of Identifying Transferable Skills

Consider a client who previously worked as a warehouse worker and is no longer able to return to that role due to physical restrictions.

At first glance, the job title suggests heavy physical work. But transferable skills are not identified from the title alone. They come from examining how the work was actually done.

Step 1: Look at the Core Work Tasks

Through interview and file review, you learn that the client:

• Operated a forklift to move items throughout the warehouse
• Manually lifted and moved items weighing up to 35 lb
• Tracked inventory and orders
• Communicated with the team, drivers, and management
• Followed safety and quality procedures

Step 2: Consider Current Functional Abilities

The client now has limits with lifting and prolonged standing but retains:

• Cognitive capacity
• Communication skills
• Ability to plan, organize, and make decisions
• Tolerance for seated or light-duty work

Step 3: Identify the Transferable Skills

From this analysis, transferable skills may include:

• Using powered industrial equipment safely
• Managing information and records
• Communicating instructions and feedback
• Applying procedures and safety standards

Step 4: Apply Skills to Other Work

These skills may transfer to roles that are less physically demanding, such as scheduling, dispatch, inventory coordination, or administrative support, depending on the individual’s full profile and context.

The key point is that the vocational opinion is based on observable skills and current function, not assumptions about what someone “might be able to do.” This makes the analysis clearer, more defensible, and easier for insurers and employers to understand.

Why a Structured Method Matters in Practice

Using a structured approach to transferable skills analysis supports good professional practice. It helps ensure that conclusions are consistent across files, even when client presentations vary. It also makes the reasoning behind vocational opinions easier to follow, which is increasingly important in insurer, employer, and compensation contexts.

Clear structure improves transparency. When skills are identified and applied using a repeatable process, others can understand how decisions were reached. This alignment supports system expectations and reduces the risk of misinterpretation or challenge, particularly in complex or disputed cases.

A structured method can also support newer clinicians. Having a clear framework builds confidence, reduces reliance on guesswork, and helps ensure work stays within scope of practice. Education and practical tools can play a supportive role here by reinforcing consistent thinking and documentation, rather than replacing professional judgement.

For clinicians who want to deepen their understanding of transferable skills analysis, structured education can support consistency, documentation, and confidence in practice. You can learn more about the Transferable Skills Analysis Education Program . 

Bringing It Back to Practice

Transferable skills analysis is a skill in itself. It develops over time through experience, reflection, and ongoing learning. Even experienced clinicians benefit from stepping back and reviewing how they approach this work.

Taking time to reflect on your current methods can highlight strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement. Peer discussion, continuing education, and exposure to structured frameworks can all support this process and strengthen day-to-day practice.