The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is a cyclical, large-scale study of adult skills and life experiences focusing on education and employment. It is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and developed by participating countries with the support of the OECD. Between 2011 and 2015, PIAAC surveyed a nationally representative sample of adults between the ages of 16 and 65 in 33 countries and regions. The survey focused on cognitive skills in three domains: literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology-rich environments. In addition, it collected data about educational background, family background, health and skill use on the job and outside of work. This report is intended primarily for researchers using PIAAC data to investigate policy issues related to young adults and their transition into the labor force. The content of this report is primarily methodological and assumes that the reader has an understanding of basic statistical analysis. However, recognizing both that policymakers may also be interested in the findings that are possible with this new variable, and that the PIAAC International Data Explorer makes data analysis possible online for the general public, the discussion has been kept accessible to these audiences and to provide a short review of the basic patterns of performance that emerge when using this new variable. Results in this report are presented: (1) as average scale scores (estimated on a 0-500 scale) in the three domains of literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology-rich environments; and (2) as percentages of young adults reaching the proficiency levels established for each of these domains. There are five proficiency levels for literacy and numeracy (below Level 1, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4/5) and four levels for problem solving in technology-rich environments (below Level 1, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3). This report combines the top two proficiency levels (Levels 4 and 5) for the literacy and numeracy scales, following the OECD's reporting convention (OECD, 2013), because across all participating countries, no more than 2 percent of adults reached Level 5.