Author: Open Skills Network (OSN)
Summary
The “Ecosystem Overview & Onboarding” report from 2022 is a comprehensive guide to navigating and contributing to the global skills ecosystem. This ecosystem is increasingly being shaped by the collaboration of academic institutions, businesses, and organisations that are focused on promoting skills-based learning and employment practices. The report underscores the importance of open standards and interoperability, advocating for a public goods mentality where resources such as open-source code and tools are freely available and accessible to everyone.
Key Components of the Report:
Global Skills Ecosystem
- The report describes the global skills ecosystem as a growing network of social, digital, and technical resources designed to support the concept of skills as currency. This ecosystem aims to close the skills gap by enabling individuals to present their competencies, skills, and experiences in a standardized, interoperable format that can be easily shared with employers, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.
Key Organisations and Models
- Several organisations are highlighted as central to the development of this ecosystem, including the Open Skills Network, Strada Education Network, Credential Engine, and the T3 Innovation Network. These entities are laying the groundwork for a skills-based economy by creating open-source resources, tools, and standards that facilitate the seamless exchange of skills data.
Ethos of Public Goods
- The report emphasises a collaborative spirit focused on public goods, advocating for the creation and distribution of resources that benefit all participants in the ecosystem. Open-source standards and protocols are highlighted as essential to building a common technical infrastructure that enables interoperability, ensuring that learners and workers can own and manage their skills data.
Actionable Steps
- The report provides a roadmap for organisations and individuals looking to engage with the skills ecosystem. It advises conducting research to understand existing initiatives, building social infrastructure by aligning with like-minded entities, exploring the potential impact of joining the ecosystem, and starting the onboarding process with the tools and resources already available.
Tools and Resources
- The playbook introduces various tools, such as Rich Skill Descriptors (RSDs), that are designed to help organisations and individuals define and manage skills in a way that is consistent and interoperable across different platforms. The Open Skills Network also offers an Action Guide to RSDs and Open Skills Management, which serves as a practical resource for those beginning their journey in the skills economy.
In summary, the “Ecosystem Overview & Onboarding” report serves as both a strategic overview and a practical guide for engaging with the global skills ecosystem. It underscores the importance of collaboration, open standards, and the public goods mentality in building a more inclusive and effective skills-based economy. This document is particularly valuable for organisations and individuals looking to contribute to or benefit from the emerging landscape of skills-based learning and employment.