HR Open Skills Data Workgroup and Participating Organizations Collaborate on New Skills Data Exchang

HR Open Skills Data Workgroup Drives Development of Essential Standard for Skills Data Exchange

[Denver, CO] – The HR Open Skills Data Workgroup, a key initiative of the HR Open Standards Consortium, a voluntary organization dedicated to developing and promoting specifications for HR data exchanges, today announced that it is creating a new system-to-system API data standard for exchanging skills data. Industry-leading organizations including Skillsoft, Lightcast, 1EdTech, Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL), the Foundation for Talent Transformation, and the IEEE Learning Technology Steering Committee (IEEE LTSC) are collaborating on this initiative.

The HR Open Standards Skills Data Workgroup is focused on developing an API-based standard designed to facilitate efficient system-to-system integration of skills data. This standard aims to address the challenges of providing necessary infrastructure to support workforce talent transformation and optimization efforts and the need for a common language to improve data sharing across various HR and talent management platforms.

Jim Elder, President of the HR Open Board of Directors, said, “The HR Open Skills Data Workgroup is establishing an API based system-to-system data standard for the exchange of skill proficiency data between learning and assessment platforms, talent systems, and workforce talent management and mobility modules. This includes the transmission of skill proficiency data such as skill gain, skill proficiency level, and learning recommendations from assessment or learning platforms to designated HR platforms. By doing so, we aim to lay the foundation for a more connected, data-driven talent ecosystem—one that empowers organizations to make smarter workforce decisions.”

This standard is intended for system-to-system skills data exchange. Key objectives include creating a common schema and language for sharing skills data including, but not limited to, proficiency levels, assessment scores, skills gained, and learning recommendations. Developing a standard that uses a Dereferenceable and unique skill identifiers across systems as the key identifier of skills as discrete normalized entities, thus enabling a talent ecosystem to exchange skills data using an API based data standard. The standard will also include support for known competency models and Skill Taxonomies as well as customer driven custom skill taxonomies.  

By developing a new data standard, the HR Open Standards workgroup aims to unlock significant benefits for organizations, including:

• Overcoming data inconsistency and ensuring consistency and accuracy across platforms. 

• Simplifying complexity and making integration more efficient. 

• Ensuring data security and protecting data integrity and privacy.

• Reducing resource intensity and minimizing expenditure on custom development. 

• Easing ongoing maintenance of integrated systems. 

• Facilitating user training by promoting consistency.

• Enabling organizational workforce optimization, performance management, and internal mobility. 

"As a supporter of HR Open for more than two decades, I’m proud of what Jim is leading in the Skills Workgroup,” added Eric Shepherd, Executive Director of the Foundation for Talent Transformation. “When skills and competencies are defined and used in ways that are clear, consistent, and shareable, we open doors and connect people to relevant learning experiences, stronger career paths, and brighter futures. It’s a big step toward making skills-based hiring and promotion the norm."

The new API standard is being shaped by various use cases developed by workgroup members, including those for small businesses without full HCM systems and larger enterprise solutions. The workgroup is committed to driving adoption from the onset, inviting HR vendors to participate, and to help with defining and achieving success.

Skillsoft is sponsoring this Skills Data Workgroup, highlighting the importance of this initiative for the future of talent management and HR technology. The workgroup continues to recruit members and seeks input on use cases and the ongoing development process.

About HR Open Standards: HR Open Standards is a voluntary, not-for-profit consortium dedicated to developing and promoting specifications for HR data exchanges. 

Contact:  Learn more about this initiative and to get involved by contacting James Ireland – HR Open Standards Executive Director (Jim@hropenstandards.org)