O’Reilly, the premier learning platform for technology professionals, today announced the launch of verifiable skills, a competency-based skill development solution that maps specific capabilities in certain technologies and delivers targeted skill plans with only the content each learner needs. This approach eliminates learning waste and is designed to prove the learner’s technical abilities.
Unlike traditional learning platforms that recommend broad courses, O’Reilly verifiable skills maps defined competencies across five proficiency levels, with more-granular competencies defined at each level, creating a clear developmental pathway from foundational concepts to full expertise. O’Reilly verifiable skills offer learners personalized skill plans that target their precise skill gaps and awards them verifiable badges for demonstrated capabilities. Learners earn completion badges for individual competencies and skill badges for achieving proficiency across entire levels. These badges follow the Open Badges 2.0 standard with third-party verification, ensuring employers can instantly confirm that a badge holder’s achievements are legitimate. And admins get visibility into their teams’ learning progress and skill acquisition with clear metrics.
Recent research from Gartner suggests that “requiring 80% of the engineering workforce to upskill,” while a June 2024 Gartner survey found that “85% of leaders believe AI and digital trends will dramatically increase skills development needs” over the next three years.
“The shift toward skills-based hiring and internal mobility requires objective proficiency measurement that goes beyond traditional credentials and binary completion tracking,” said Laura Baldwin, President at O’Reilly. “O’Reilly verifiable skills allows organizations to track meaningful skill development across their entire workforce with clear metrics that show skill plan adoption, learning investment, and advancement.”
The initial launch of O’Reilly verifiable skills includes Python and Power BI, with Java and Kubernetes coming in November 2025. AI engineering, data science, system design, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, and more will be added in 2026.
For more information about O’Reilly verifiable skills, please visit: oreilly.com/online-learning/verifiable-skills.