Executive Summary

Technological change, particularly the increasing presence of information and communications technology (ICT) in all areas of life, together with changes in the structure of employment has led to a growing demand for higher-level cognitive skills involving the understanding, interpretation, analysis and communication of complex information. Employment is shifting away from jobs involving routine cognitive and manual tasks and towards jobs involving expert thinking and complex communication. Governments need a clearer picture, not only of how labour markets are changing, but of how well-equipped their citizens are to participate in, and benefit from, increasingly knowledge-based economies. The Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), helps provide that picture. The survey was designed to provide insights into how well adult populations can perform the key skills society needs, and how they are using them at work and at home. It assesses the proficiency among adults (16-65 year-olds) in three key information-processing skills: literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments.