Skills transform lives and drive economies. Skills have become the global currency of 21st-century economies. There is evidence that countries can do better in developing and using the skills that are available to them. Building on its whole-of-government approach to policy making and its unique evidence base, the OECD has developed a global Skills Strategy that helps countries identify the strengths and weaknesses of their national skills systems, benchmark them internationally, and develop policies that can transform better skills into better jobs, economic growth and social inclusion. The Skills Strategy supports countries in adopting a systematic and comprehensive approach to skills policies that can:

• Prioritise investment of scarce resources
• Combine short- and long-term considerations
• Build a case for lifelong learning
• Foster a whole-of-government approach
• Align the perspectives of different levels of government
• Include all relevant stakeholders

To reach the goal of having and making the best use of a high-quality pool of skills, a country must consider three main policy levers: those that improve the quality and quantity of skills; those that activate the skills for the labour market; and those that ensure that skills are used effectively