OECD,Education and Skills

Towards an OECD Skills Strategy

In a context of high unemployment following the crisis and increased global competition, ensuring an adequate supply of skills, maximising their use and optimising further development of skills in the workforce is key to boosting employment and economic growth, and to promoting social inclusion. Skills are thus high on the agenda, nationally and internationally. Public spending on education and training already represents around 13% of total public expenditure in OECD countries. While the need for fiscal consolidation in the wake of the crisis is putting pressure on all elements of public expenditure, including education and training, this is precisely the time when investment in skills is most necessary to boost economic growth and facilitate the (re)integration of individuals into the labour market. Governments must ensure that expenditures on skills formation are efficient and effective and appropriately shared between public and private sectors. This paper sets out the rationale for the OECD Skills Strategy, the issues that it will address and the way forward.