Built on our original research and comprehensive employer data, the Pathsmith® framework is an ingredient brand that powers products and services like curriculum, assessments, professional development, skills-based hiring, professional upskilling, and Portraits of a Graduate.
The journey began in 2021 with our first comprehensive analysis of over 80 million job postings, conducted with Lightcast, which identified 10 key durable skills universally valued across industries.
In partnership with CompTIA, a diverse group of subject matter experts from major employers helped define 110 competencies across four proficiency levels, laying the groundwork for the Pathsmith® Durable Skills Framework. The framework was further refined through extensive feedback sessions, equity-centered research, and input from educators to ensure it meets the needs of both learners and employers. Building on that foundation, America Succeeds developed PK-16 developmental progressions that translate the framework into age-appropriate expectations and supports for educators, making durable skill development intentional across every stage of a learner’s journey. The result is a suite of tools designed to support skill validation and alignment across education and workforce systems.
The Pathsmith® Durable Skills Framework consists of 5 assets:
The Pathsmith® Durable Skills Framework Starter Edition: Competency and Skills Definitions
A free introduction to the framework, with definitions for all 74 skills and rubric summaries at the applying level, and a great place to start.
The Pathsmith® PK-16 Development and Application Guide
A practical tool for educators just getting started with durable skills, turning the framework into classroom-ready actions, activities, and next steps.
The Pathsmith® Durable Skills Wheel
A visual of the durable skills lexicon, showing the 10 most in-demand skills in the inner ring and 100 common job-posting keywords in the outer ring.
The Pathsmith® Early Career Performance Rubric (learn more about licensing)
The complete early career framework, defining all 10 competency domains and 74 subskills with observable descriptions at four proficiency levels, from emerging to exceeding.
The Pathsmith® PK-16 Durable Skills Developmental Progression (learn more about licensing)
A research-informed map of 24 durable skills, with 360 behavioral indicators showing how each one develops across five developmental levels from early childhood through postsecondary.
Durable skills are more critical than ever in the age of AI, yet it’s never been a focus of education systems and they often lack the tools and resources to help students develop them effectively. This has led to persistent skills gaps, which impose a steep cost on the economy and act as a chronic barrier to economic mobility and equity.
Our 2025 analysis of over 75 million job postings reveals that 8 of the top 10 most in-demand skills are durable skills. They show up more often in high-skill, high-wage jobs, underscoring their importance in driving opportunity.
Want to know more? Explore our latest research.
