Skills England recently launched an updated first full version of a ground-breaking tool to help everyone speak the same language about skills.
Developed in partnership with the Warwick Institute for Employment Research (IER), the University of Sheffield, and Omnifolio, the UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC) version 1 is the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country.
You can think of the SSC as a comprehensive dictionary that translates the complex world of skills, knowledge and job-related tasks across UK occupations into clear, consistent language that everyone can understand and use.
The resource has been launched along with an updated accompanying report, the UK Standard Skills Classification development report. This describes the classification and its potential uses, how it has been developed and recommendations for future updates and extensions.
I last wrote about the SSC in November 2025 following the publication of an interim development report and the release of the prototype classification. More information on who can benefit from the SSC is available in that earlier update.
In this blog, I share some further detail and describe the latest features of the SSC.
What the SSC is and why it’s so important
The SSC is a standardised set of categories that identify the skills, knowledge and tasks required across UK occupations.
It offers the most detailed, data driven picture yet of the UK labour market, and marks a significant step forward in how we think about and discuss skills in the UK. It can be accessed as a free resource through the online UK Skills Explorer tool.
A clear, shared understanding of skills is vital in today’s rapidly changing economy. The SSC is a significant step forward in how we think about and discuss skills in the UK. It’s about identifying opportunities, reducing barriers, and ensuring that skills development is targeted, effective, and accessible to everyone.
Stakeholders in the UK and internationally have been quick to recognise the opportunity and potential impact of the classification.
Simone Ravaioli, director of global academic innovations at Instructure, said in the Times Higher Education Supplement:
“The publication of the UK Standard Skills Classification represents a watershed moment in the country’s ambition to build a more coherent, transparent, skills-driven economy.”
David Kernohan, deputy editor of Wonkhe, said in Wonkhe:
“The release of the UK Standard Skills Classification (UK-SSC) – alongside a wonderfully whizzy UK Skills Explorer tool – is, in a quiet way, the most significant thing to happen to the skills landscape in a generation: not least because, for the first time we are able to see it.”
The SSC continues to be hosted online by our partners at the IER, the University of Sheffield and Omnifolio.
Who can benefit from the SSC and UK Skills Explorer
Through linking skills, occupations and knowledge, the SSC allows users including individuals, careers advisers, employers and labour market analysts to confidently identify skills needs and plan provision using a simple, common language.
Version 1 of the SSC was launched with an updated UK Skills Explorer tool. This user-friendly online platform makes it easy to browse and navigate the classification.
The UK Skills Explorer takes the comprehensive information in the SSC and presents it in a way that makes sense, whether you’re quickly checking what skills are needed for a particular role or conducting detailed analysis for workforce planning.
What’s new: features of version 1
Version 1 of the SSC has a few new added features, building on the strengths of the prototype.
Help using the tool
A short guide on how to use the UK Skills Explorer is linked from the tool’s home page.
Informed by user feedback
User feedback on the prototype launched in November has been used to refine the classification, including input from pilot organisations and improvements in the technology used in its development, to produce the first full version of the classification.
As with the prototype, you can still share your thoughts directly through the Skills Explorer tool by using the feedback function.
Your feedback will directly influence the ongoing development and maintenance of the classification, which will be updated on a regular basis. By letting us know what works well, what could be improved, and what added features would make it more useful, we will continue to develop the tool towards the needs of its users.
Improved data access
As before, you can still download the data behind the classification by creating an account. As part of version 1 we have also added an application programming interface (API) for those who would like automated access.
A tool for you
Whether you’re looking to advance your career, support others in theirs, or plan for your organisation’s future, the UK Standard Skills Classification provides the foundation for making informed, strategic decisions about skills.
We’re excited to see how you’ll use it, and we look forward to your feedback as we continue to develop this resource.
Frank Bowley
Skills England deputy director for analysis and insight