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Skill Proficiency Descriptions API Guide

Skill Proficiency Descriptions API provides structured descriptions of different proficiency levels for any skill in Pearson’s ontology.

This helps organisations define what it means to be a beginner, intermediate, or advanced in a particular skill—enabling consistent frameworks for learning, assessment, and workforce planning.

Who is this API for?

This API is designed for teams that need to align internal frameworks with clearly defined skill progression models. In particular:

  • Learning Manager – designing learning programs and training modules based on expected skill levels

  • People Strategist – assessing workforce capability and planning career pathways using consistent definitions

Goals this API helps you achieve

The Skill Proficiency Descriptions API supports the following use cases:

  • Define standardised descriptions for each proficiency level of a given skill

  • Align internal learning frameworks or job architecture models with external skill benchmarks

  • Improve clarity in skill-based assessments or self-evaluations

  • Support data-driven analysis of skill maturity across the workforce

What’s included in the response?

When queried with a Skill ID, this API returns a list of descriptors for that skill’s proficiency levels. These fields include:

Field Description
skillId The unique identifier for the skill
skillName The name of the skill
proficiencies[] A list of structured proficiency descriptors, where each includes:
→ level The name of the proficiency level (e.g. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
→ description A description of what proficiency at that level looks like for this skill

These values help you define the expectations and learning outcomes associated with each skill level.

Input and Output

  • Input: Skill ID (e.g., skill_12345)

  • Output: List of proficiency levels and their descriptions

There are no optional parameters. This is a simple lookup endpoint based on a known skill.

Real-world applications

Teams typically use this API to support skills frameworks, assessment models, or program design. For example:

  • Learning teams add consistent, meaningful level descriptions to course catalogs and pathways

  • People strategy teams use proficiency descriptors in capability frameworks and job profiles

  • HR tools and systems use the API to power dynamic assessments or growth planning tools

API Bundle

The Skill Proficiency Descriptions API is included in the following bundle:

Skill Analysis & Development – Ideal for learning, skills maturity models, and standardising role-based capabilities