Creating, managing, re-using and sharing skills, learning objectives, performance objectives, and competency statements are more effective when each statement and its related contextual information are machine actionable data.  The Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) family of specifications provides schemas with terms for skills and competencies modeled on linked open data.  The CTDL also provides numerous additional terms for linking competencies to credentials, learning opportunities, assessments, transfer value, education and career pathways, jobs, work roles, tasks, and other skills and competencies.  CTDL is currently used by 22 states, federal agencies, and hundreds of other organizations and institutions as well as software products.

The Contextualization of Skills & Competencies Task Group (CSCTG) is being formed to support the goals of the Open Skills Network, T3 Innovation Network, and other initiatives and organizations that believe skills and competencies as linked data are beneficial for public and proprietary uses.