The following testimonial is part of a series of interviews conducted by the ESCO Secretariat with ESCO implementers. Their purpose is to shed a light on ESCO strengths and challenges as perceived by implementers, so that current and potential future stakeholders can gain a better knowledge on the use of ESCO. In this testimonial, we discuss how Pexelle has been leveraging ESCO in their services. 

Tell us a bit more about your project/company/organisation, your goal, target customers, how many clients/users you currently have, geographical coverage, etc.

Pexelle is a global platform dedicated to skill verification and professional development. Pexelle’s mission is to empower individuals and organisations by providing a comprehensive ecosystem for recording, verifying, certifying, and showcasing skills. The platform caters to professionals across various industries, aiming to enhance their credibility and connect them with opportunities worldwide. The user base spans multiple countries, reflecting Pexelle’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community.

How do you leverage ESCO in your services, and since when are you using it?

Since our inception, we have integrated the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) framework into our platform. By aligning our skill verification processes with ESCO’s standardised taxonomy, we ensure that the skills and competencies of our users are recognised and comparable across Europe. This alignment facilitates better matching between job seekers and employers, enhancing transparency in the labour market.  

What were some of the challenges you encountered in implementing ESCO?

Implementing ESCO presented challenges such as adapting its extensive taxonomy to our platform’s specific needs and ensuring that our users understood and engaged with this standardised framework. Additionally, keeping up with updates to the ESCO classification required continuous monitoring and adjustments.

What is the key ingredient in ESCO that made you take the decision to use it in your system?

The comprehensive and multilingual nature of ESCO’s taxonomy was pivotal in our decision to integrate it. It provides a common language for skills and occupations, which is essential for our platform’s goal of facilitating global skill recognition and mobility.

What was the level of acceptance by your partners/other national stakeholders?

Our partners and stakeholders have shown a positive response to the integration of ESCO. They appreciate the standardised approach to skill verification, which enhances clarity and comparability in professional qualifications across different regions.

What are some of your recommendations for other stakeholders looking to implement ESCO in their system?

We recommend that stakeholders thoroughly understand the ESCO framework and tailor its implementation to their specific context. Engaging in continuous dialogue with users and providing education on the benefits of ESCO can facilitate smoother adoption. Additionally, staying updated with ESCO’s revisions ensures that the system remains relevant and accurate.

How has ESCO helped your business/organisation? What are its advantages and disadvantages from your standpoint?

ESCO has enhanced our platform’s credibility by providing a standardised framework for skill verification, which is recognised across Europe. This standardisation has improved the trustworthiness of our certifications and facilitated better international mobility for our users. However, the complexity of ESCO’s extensive taxonomy required significant effort to integrate and maintain, posing challenges in terms of resource allocation.

Some of the steps in the application are showcased below.