Latin America and the Caribbean currently stand at the precipice of a historic industrial transformation, catalyzed by global megatrends such as artificial intelligence, nearshoring, and the green transition. This publication sets forth a vision that for the region to convert these potential disruptions into competitive advantages, nations must fundamentally pivot from traditional supply-driven education models to demand-driven skills development systems. As the central pillar of this transformation, Industry Skills Strategies are defined as sector-specific frameworks designed to align workforce competencies strictly with evolving market demands. These strategies empower industries to transition from being passive consumers of graduates to becoming active architects of talent. By conducting rigorous labor diagnoses and mapping value chains, industries can pinpoint "missing links" in human capital required for objectives like electromobility or Industry 5.0. A robust Industry Skills Strategy is built upon a human-centric, three-fold approach:
1. Preparing the Future: Ensuring the current workforce is reskilled to remain employable as industries evolve.
2. Removing Barriers: Actively expanding access for vulnerable groups, such as women and youth, to ensure inclusive participation.
3. Advancing Competitiveness: Utilizing innovation-oriented upskilling to help firms adopt new technologies and improve productivity.

The implementation of these strategies follows a systematic seven-stage workflow:
- Analyzing transformation drivers and industry outlook.
- Defining strategic objectives for a 5-to-10-year vision.
- Diagnosing labor profiles and identifying priority occupations.
- Mapping skills gaps to identify workforce shortages.
- Driving curricular and pedagogical innovation, often through modular "skill packs".
- Establishing stakeholder engagement and governance structures, such as Sector Skills Councils (SSCs).
- Implementing continuous monitoring and evaluation based on labor market success.

Case studies, such as the automotive skills strategies in Mexico, demonstrate how these frameworks are applied to de-risk transitions to electric vehicle production and Industry 5.0 by prioritizing critical emerging roles and modular training. Ultimately, moving toward an industry-led, demand-driven model is not merely a social policy but a core industrial policy instrument and a prerequisite for achieving inclusive, sustainable growth in the region.