Skills visibility refers to the ability of individuals to clearly present their skills—whether acquired through formal education, work experience, or alternative learning pathways—and for employers, credential providers, and workforce systems to recognize and assess those skills effectively. It involves the transparency, accessibility, and usability of skill-related data in hiring, training, and career advancement.

For skills data to gain utility in all these contexts, the data must be made visible in the curriculums of credential providers (e.g., colleges, universities, third-party providers), and aligned to a common taxonomy so that everyone can speak the same language around skills.

To enable a common skills language, Rich Skills Descriptors (RSDs) and openRSD can help credential providers create a library of RSDs using a standardized data schema.  openRSD allows the creation of such a library plus access to accepted definitions already created by others. This bridges the translation barriers that exist among systems, since RSDs are human and machine readable.

Many stakeholders in the learn-and-work ecosystem use skills visibility:

• Employers and Hiring Managers
  • Use skills visibility to evaluate candidates based on demonstrated competencies rather than relying solely on traditional credentials like degrees. This supports skills-based hiring, which aligns talent supply with employer demand more effectively.
• Credential Providers
  • Educational institutions, industry certification bodies, and training organizations emphasize skills visibility to ensure their credentials accurately reflect workforce-relevant competencies. Digital badges and skills-based transcripts are part of this movement.
• Jobseekers and Workers
  • Benefit from skills visibility by showcasing their competencies in ways that go beyond traditional resumes. They may use e-portfolios, digital credentials, or skills wallets to enhance employability.
• Technology and Credentialing Platforms
  • Companies like Credly, Badgr, and Emsi Burning Glass (now Lightcast) support skills visibility through digital credentialing, skills mapping, and labor market analytics.
• Policymakers and Workforce Development Agencies
  • Advocate for greater skills visibility to improve workforce mobility, ensure equitable hiring practices, and bridge the gap between education and employment.

See Topic: Skills Visibility in the Evolving Skills-Based Economy | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library