Skill-Based Projections are an attempt to identify areas of job-related skills that will be in high demand over the 2008-2018 timeframe. These forecasts are produced by cross-referencing the occupational projections with O*NET job requirement categories. Three categories are used specifically:

• Knowledge: learned sets of facts and standards required by many work situations.
• Skills: learned capabilities that allow workers to master and perform the specific activities of their jobs.
• Generalized Work Activities: the types of tasks that are common to many jobs.

Only those occupations requiring a moderate level of importance or higher (O*NET rating 3+) in each of the three categories are included in these projections.