NWT Key Competencies are more than essential skills. Competencies include skills, but also include knowledge, attitudes, and values, and how skills interact in different contexts. Key Competencies are demonstrated in performance – they require action and participation. In other words, key competencies strengthen students’ capacity to participate in the world right now, rather than just prepare them to participate in the world at some time in the future. Based on many conversations with northerners from all walks of life across the NWT, NWT Key Competencies have been defined as the skills, attitudes, knowledge and values of a capable northerner. This document gives some description around the five NWT Key Competencies.