The key skills: communication, numeracy, interpersonal, information technology, learning, and problem-solving have been identified as underlying good performance in the labor market now and in the future. The factors most important to development of key skills and ways of facilitating young people's development of those skills were examined in a study of British schools, training suppliers, and employers. Data were collected from the following sources: discussions with staff members and teachers at 20 schools that were selected to be representative in terms of geographic location, age range, performance in examinations, and other variables; questionnaires distributed to students at 15 of the schools; discussions with training suppliers delivering key skills training within their Modern Apprenticeship programs in the former Avon area; surveys of students in 8 of the training organizations, and discussions with 22 employer representatives from the former Avon area. The research highlighted the need for further promotion of the importance of key skills and understanding that key skills are important now and for future employability. A continued and ongoing focus on basic skills extended from early education onward was advocated. (A key skills map is appended. The document contains 13 references.) (MN)