skillwhich

Skillwhich is a framework and reference model for describing and matching skills to tasks, roles, and learning opportunities. It standardizes how skills are defined, measured, and communicated across education, industry, and digital platforms.

Origin and development: The concept emerged in the mid-2010s from researchers and practitioners seeking a language for skill-based hiring and lifelong learning. It draws on established competency standards such as O*NET and ESCO, but aims to be open, interoperable, and extensible.

Structure and taxonomy: Skillwhich uses hierarchical Skill Trees, where each Skill entry includes a name, domain, synonyms, prerequisites, and a proficiency descriptor. Proficiency is expressed on a concise scale (for example: Novice, Practitioner, Expert). Evidence types (projects, assessments, certifications) may be attached to support a claim.

Data model and interoperability: The model defines core entities such as Skill, Competency, ProficiencyLevel, Evidence, LearningObject, and Role. It supports machine-readable formats (JSON-LD, RDF) and provides a public API for creation, search, and portfolio export.

Applications and usage: Individuals use Skillwhich to build portable skill portfolios and learning plans; organizations use it to specify job requirements, assess candidates, and design curricula; platforms implement skill-based matching and progress tracking.

Reception and challenges: Proponents emphasize transparency, portability, and better workforce planning. Critics raise concerns about governance, data quality, complexity, and the risk of over-quantifying nuanced expertise.

See also: O*NET, ESCO, DigComp, competency model, skill taxonomy.