News item | 24-09-2025 | 14:30
Today, CompetentNL was launched: the national standard for describing skills. Diplomas and CVs do not always tell what someone can really do. A joint skill steel makes skills visible – clear, honest and uniform. For education, employers and the labor market. State Secretary Jurgen Nobel symbolically received the key (API Key) on behalf of the Netherlands. This means that the basic version of the common skill steel is now publicly available.
A labor market in which talent counts
Technological and social changes put pressure on the labor market. They ask for more maneuverability and better use of talent. Looking at skills is becoming increasingly important for career development, education and labor market matching.
“A joint language to name skills is a crucial step towards a labor market in which talent counts, not just the paper,” said Yvonne Vogelenzang, coordinating program manager of CompetentNL. “As a result, employers, educational institutions and service providers can work together better and respond faster to changes in the labor market.”
About CompetentNL
CompetentNL makes it possible to describe what people really know and can do in a uniform and precise way. The skill steel describes and connects the skills of all professions and, in the first instance, all MBO qualifications in the Netherlands.
The basic version of CompetentNL can be viewed and consulted via the Condemer on www.competentnl.nl. Tool builders also have access to the skills data via an API (Application Programming Interface) or a SPARQL endpoint – a query language with which the data can easily be accessed and integrated into their own applications.
Use skills data
How CompetentNL is used in practice is to the developers of applications for end users. Examples of applications are skills matching tools, digital learning portfolios, curriculum development and labor market analyzes. End users include employers, municipalities, educational providers, students, workers and job seekers.
Further development
The basic version of CompetentNL will be further developed in 2026. Yvonne Vogelenzang: “We make a quality improvement in the data and investigate how other educational sectors and non-formal education can be linked to CompetentNL. This is partly based on feedback from the customers. “
More information
Do you want to know more about CompetentNL, the Skills Data or how you can connect? Visit www.competentnl.nl For background information, frequently asked questions and technical documentation.