This paper provides a high level overview of the skills strategies being pursued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and partner countries, based on a review undertaken by the author for OECD as part of the development of its skills strategy (Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Lives) in 2012. It first discusses their rationale and imperatives before reviewing their coverage in terms of approach, scope and focus. It then examines the range of policy levers

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... d to raise skill levels, improve supply and demand matching, and enhance skills demand and use. The sectoral and local dimensions of skills stratigies are then discussed before an assessment is made of governance arrangements in terms of the mechanisms used to steer strategy, including both institutional arrangements and other tools to improve policy co-ordination. The paper concludes by identifying some lessons learned from the review, for the development of more effective skills strategies in the future