Transversal knowledge, skills and competences

Transversal knowledge, skills and competences are relevant to a broad range of occupations and economic sectors. They are often referred to as core skills, basic skills or soft skills, the cornerstone for the personal development of a person. Transversal knowledge, skills and competences are the building blocks for the development of the "hard" skills and competences required to succeed on the labour market.

Content

• 1. Early Structure
• 2. Current Transversal Skills Hierarchy
• 3. Reusability Levels
• 4. Ongoing Commitment to Transversal Skills
• 5. Additional Documentation 

1. Early Structure

In the initial ESCO version of ESCO v1, transversal knowledge, skills and competences were organised in a hierarchical structure with the following five headings:

• Thinking
• Language
• Application of knowledge
• Social interaction
• Attitudes and values

Both the concepts and hierarchical structure of the transversal knowledge, skills and competences were developed by the Cross-sector Reference Group. The development is based on the analysis of a wide range of existing national and sectoral classifications, the European Dictionary of Skills and Competences (DISCO) and other sources.

2. Current Transversal Skills Hierarchy

Recent developments in the labour market and education systems prompted ESCO to revisit its transversal skills model. A dedicated expert group mandated by the ESCO Member States Working Group and the European Qualifications Framework Advisory Group was entrusted with this task in 2020. The aim was to refine and update the existing hierarchy to align with the evolving demands of the labour market.

The outcome of this extensive effort is a streamlined and standardized model that simplifies the understanding and application of transversal skills and competences. The revised model consists of three levels:

Level 1: Six main categories

Level 2: 24 skill groups

Level 3: 96 single transversal skills

This new structure provides a comprehensive framework that enables users to navigate from broad categories to specific skills with ease.

3. Reusability Levels

During the development phase of ESCO, sectoral experts assigned reusability levels to all skills and competences. These levels are categorized into four scales: transversal, cross-sectoral, sector-specific, and occupation-specific. Transversal skills hold the highest reusability level, signifying their applicability across various sectors and occupations. This categorization helps streamline the process of matching skills to specific needs, ultimately contributing to a more efficient and effective labor market and education system.

4. Ongoing Commitment to Transversal Skills

The enhanced transversal skills model not only fosters clarity and coherence in terminology but also reflects the dynamic nature of today's labour markets and education systems. It is important to note that this update complements existing approaches and aims to inspire and inform new ones.

The Commission is committed to the further development of the transversal skills methodology and is always ready to receive feedback on the current structure from its stakeholders and ESCO users. Transversal knowledge, skills, and competences are pivotal in personal development and success across a wide range of occupations and sectors. ESCO's commitment to refining and standardizing this framework ensures its continued relevance in a rapidly changing labour market.

5. Additional Documentation  

For further insights into the development of the ESCO Transversal Skills please visit the following report: ESCO Transversal Skills Report.