OECD Publishing ( 2012. - 114 p.Skills have become the global currency of the 21st century.Without proper investment in skills, people languish on the margins of society, technological progress does not translate into economic growth, and countries can no longer compete in an increasingly knowledge-based global society. But this currency depreciates as the requirements of labour markets evolve and individuals lose the skills they do not use.Skills do not automatically convert into jobs and growth. The global economic crisis, with high levels of unemployment, in particular among youth, has added urgency to fostering better skills.At the same time, rising income inequality, largely driven by inequality in wages between high-and low-skilled workers, also needs to be addressed. the most promising solution to these challenges is investing effectively in skills throughout the life cycle; from early childhood, through compulsory education, and throughout a working life.The OECD Skills Strategy provides an integrated, cross-government strategic framework to help countries understand more about how to invest in skills in a way that will transform lives and drive economies. it will help countries to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their existing national skills pool and skills systems, benchmark them internationally, and develop policies for improvement.OECD (2012), Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Lives: A Strategic Approach to Skills Policies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https - colon forward slash forward slash – doi.org/10.1787/9789264177338-en