An outcome of the apartheid government’s education policies was a low-quality and unequal schooling system, leading to a post-school education system that is not accessible to those with poor levels of schooling. Education is a key priority, and the country has invested enormous resources to improve the schooling system. The state has improved access to schooling, but positive outcomes, notably in Mathematics and Science subjects, remain elusive. This poor foundation impacts negatively on the types and quality of skills entering the labour market. In this issue we look at the interplay between education, skills and the labour market. The recent Labour Market Intelligence Partnership (LMIP) report provides a holistic understanding of the current supply and demand for skills in South Africa in order to inform future skills policy to support an inclusive economic growth path.