1 [+person] (specialized) especializado; (skilful) experto; hábil; diestro she is a skilled negotiator es una negociadora muy experta or hábil or diestra; skilled craftsmen are employed in the restoration work el trabajo de restauración lo realizan artesanos especializados
one or two generations there would no longer be any skilled craftsmen who knew how to build and repair oxcarts Hundreds of skilled craftsmen are engaged in making tiny coloured glass giraffes and mice a highly skilled surgeon
he is skilled at or in dealing with children tiene muy buena mano con los niños
2 [+worker] cualificado; especially (Esp) calificado; especially (LAm) especializado they have one of the most highly skilled workforces in the country there is a shortage of skilled workers in the industry
skilled labour or labor (US) mano (f) de obra cualificada; especially (Esp) mano (f) de obra calificada; especially (LAm) mano (f) de obra especializada
3 [+job, work] especializado The goal of economic policy, he said, should be skilled jobs at high wages for a nation's people women tend to be given the most tedious, least skilled jobs the trade union negotiated enormous wage differentials on the spurious grounds of skilled work