2024 Archives | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library

Overview In September 2024, Urban Institute published the Upward Mobility Data Dashboard which is an outcome of the Upward Mobility Initiative. The initiative addresses the need for communities throughout the […]

Enhancing Global Learning Mobility Through Credential Transparency – AACRAO / Credential Engine

Governance and Technology Needs for Implementing Issuer Registries within Learning and Employment Record Ecosystems –DCC and Credential Engine

Managing Self-Sovereign Learning and Employment Records through LER.me – EBSCOed

Carnegie Math Pathways at WestEd

University Efforts to Serve Working Learners – Georgia Institute of Technology & Western Governors University

Research: 2024 Higher Education Trend Watch – EDUCAUSE

New Math Pathways for Adult Learners – Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) & New Classrooms

Research: 2024 Top 10 Information Technology Issues – EDUCAUSE

Southeastern Regional Talent Ecosystem Pilot – AACRAO, Tennessee, Alabama

Overview In September 2024, the Southeastern Regional Talent Ecosystem Pilot launched with the aim to bridge the talent gap and enhance employment opportunities in the Southeastern U.S. Partners include the […]

Project Kitty Hawk – North Carolina

Overview The 2021 North Carolina General Assembly allocated $97 million to start Project Kitty Hawk, a nonprofit ed-tech startup focused on producing a diverse, globally competitive workforce, fostering scholarly research, […]

Issuer Registries in Practice: Credential Engine & Digital Credentials Consortium Collaboration

Overview The Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC) and Credential Engine are collaborating on a 2024-2025 initiative to explore the governance and technology needs for issuer registries being used within Learning and […]

Empower Community and Technical Colleges in Regional Innovation Ecosystems – New America / NSF

Overview In September 2024, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the nonpartisan think and action tank New America announced a strategic initiative to turbocharge the capacity, effectiveness, and impact […]

Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act – Proposed Amendment to Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Overview The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act is bipartisan legislation introduced on March 13, 2024, in the U.S. Congress. The Act would amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act […]

Leveraging AI for Skills Extraction & Research (LAiSER) – George Washington University

Overview In 2023, the Program on Skills, Credentials & Workforce Policy at the George Washington University launched a project to help learners, educators, and employers share trusted and mutually intelligible […]

Skills-First Hiring for State Government-California

Overview California is one of 21 states that has adopted skills-first hiring practices for state government positions. This approach means that college degrees and job histories are no longer being used […]

Build Better Careers Initiative – CAEL

Overview In July 2024, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) launched a 3-year workforce development initiative with support from Truist Foundation’s Where it Starts Initiative. CAEL is creating pathways to […]

Cybersecurity Bootcamp – Wake Technical Community College (North Carolina)

Overview On July 1, 2024, Wake Technical Community College (Raleigh, North Carolina) entered into a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to launch a cybersecurity bootcamp. The bootcamp […]

National Applied Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NAAIC)

Overview In August 2024, the National Applied Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NAAIC) announced receipt of a $2.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE). Consortium implementation […]

ASA Center for Career Navigation at JFF

Overview In July 2024, Jobs for the Future (JFF) with support from a multi-year $25 million grant from American Student Assistance, announced it will create the ASA Center for Career […]

LER Resource Library – T3 Innovation Network

Overview In August 2024, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s T3 Innovation Network issued a LER Resource Library working in collaboration with experts in learning and employment records. LERs are […]

EU Digital Identity Wallets – European Union

Overview The European Union (EU) is creating EU Digital Identity Wallets to meet the challenges of digital identification for citizens, residents, and businesses across Europe. The Identity Wallets are proposed […]

Recognition of International Accreditation Organizations – Council for Higher Education Accreditation

Overview In August 2024, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a nonprofit institutional membership organization that provides coordination of accreditation, launched the Recognition of International Accreditation Organizations. The purpose […]

Fast-Track Industry-recognized Credentials in Manufacturing (Georgia Association of Manufacturers / Technical College System of Georgia)

Overview The Georgia Association of Manufacturers (GAM) is collaborating with the Technical College System of Georgia to quickly prepare workers for good manufacturing jobs. Over the last year, GAM worked with […]

Measurement For Mobility: How States Can Use Data to Incentivize Postsecondary & Workforce Success in Public Education (Education Strategy Group)

Overview Measurement For Mobility: How States Can Use Data to Incentivize Postsecondary and Workforce Success in Public Education is a report (45 pages) issued May 2024 by Education Strategy Group […]

Future of Work and the Innovation Economy (FOWIE) Initiative – New America

Overview Established in 2023 by the Center on Education and Labor at New America (CELNA), the Future of Work and the Innovation Economy (FOWIE) initiative focuses on strengthening postsecondary education, workforce, […]

Impact Funders Forum (IFF) – Pew Charitable Trusts

Overview The Transforming Evidence Funders Network (TEFN) is a network of more than 80 philanthropies and public funding agencies that convene to catalyze collection action around work at the nexus of […]

Support Student Success through Holistic Credit Mobility Policies, Practices, & Technologies – Ithaka S+R & Complete College America

Overview In July 2024, Ithaka S+R and Complete College America announced a partnership to support student success through student success through holistic credit mobility policies, practices, and technologies. The project’s […]

HBCU Adult Learner Initiative (ALI)

Overview In fall 2021, Lumina Foundation awarded a $2 million grant to the HBCU Adult Learner Initiative (ALI) to identify and eliminate various barriers blocking adult students from the education […]

Work Shift

Overview Work Shift is an independent, nonpartisan news organization, where news judgments and editorial decisions are made independently. Work Shift is a digital hub for news, analysis, and opinion focused […]

Work Forces Podcasts

Overview Work Forces is a bi-weekly podcast created in 2023 by J. Alssid Associates with a goal to revolutionize thinking about the future of work and learning. The podcasts engage […]

Credential Engine Initiative on Equity, Jobs Skills, and Pathways

Overview In July 2024, Credential Engine launched a 2-year initiative to expand education and employment information available as linked open data in the Credential Registry. The aim of this effort […]

New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities

Overview In December 2021, New Jersey’s community colleges and the New Jersey Business and Industry Association launched the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities—Aligning Education to Build an Innovative Workforce. […]

Federal Youth Apprentice Pathway Program (U.S. Department of Labor’s ETA)

Overview In 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) launched the first Federal Youth Apprentice Pathway program. The program focuses on ways the federal agencies can partner […]

Learning Evaluation & Recognition for the Next Generation (LEARN) Commission – AACRAO & SOVA

Overview Launched in 2024, the Learning Evaluation and Recognition for the Next Generation (LEARN) Commission is a national effort to recognize undergraduate learning and to improve credit evaluation policies and […]

Skills-Based Talent Ecosystem – ETS & SHRM

Overview In June 2024, ETS and SHRM announced their initiative to develop a Skills-Based Talent Ecosystem. The initiative focuses on three talent-specific elements that are important to addressing the future of […]

Research: State Practices Around Industry Certification (EERC Rutgers University)

Overview The Education and Employment Research Center (EERC) at Rutgers University conducted a Survey of State Practices Around Industry Certification. The aim of the study was to provide a snapshot […]

Research Report: Credentials-to-Jobs Misalignment – Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)

Overview In June 2024, the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) issued “The Great Misalignment: Addressing the Mismatch between the Supply of Certificates and Associate’s Degrees and the […]

Project Unicorn (Data Interoperability in K-12 Education)

Overview Project Unicorn is a national initiative to improve data interoperability within K-12 education. Coordinated by InnovateEDU (Brooklyn based non-profit organization), the initiative works with a coalition of organizations representing […]

The National Career Clusters® Framework – Advance CTE

Overview In December 2022, Advance CTE launched its initiative to modernize the National Career Clusters Framework. The Framework provides a guide for organizing and delivering quality career and technical education […]

Promising Practices Database: Community College Baccalaureate Degrees

Overview The Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) created a Collection of Promising Practices to Advance Quality, Equity, and Success in Community College Baccalaureate Degree Programs, including proven solutions for making […]

Credentials Futures Coalition (CFC)

Overview In July 2022, four founding members established the Credential Futures Coalition (CFC) — AACRAO, 1EdTech, C-BEN, and UPCEA. The Coalition is composed of non-profit stakeholders working to develop a scalable, resilient, […]

Work+ and Work+Collective – Consortium managed by Arizona State University

Overview The Work+ and affiliated program, Work+Collective, is a consortium of 17 two- and four-year institutions across the U.S. that are redesigning student employment. Institutions in the consortium offer a range […]

Center for Justice & Economic Advancement — Jobs for the Future

Overview An initiative of Jobs for the Future (JFF), the Center for Justice & Economic Advancement partners with employers, education and training providers, corrections agencies, and others to promote education, […]

STEM Transfer Partnership (STP) – State of Washington

Overview The STEM Transfer Partnership (STP) initiative established by Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) is creating systemic change within STEM degree pathways in the State of Washington through collaboration between […]

Universal European Degree – European Union

Overview In 2024, the European Commission (EU) adopted a series of proposals to create a third-level qualification to be recognized by all EU member states. Third-level qualifications refer to educational […]

Center for Skills by C-BEN – Competency-Based Education Network

Overview In April 2024, the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) launched the Center for Skills by C-BEN (CFS x C-BEN). Supported by a $1.5 million grant from Walmart, the Center will […]

Training Older, Lower-Income Adults in Digital Skills for Economic Security – AARP Foundation/ Older Adults Technology Services

Overview In 2022, Google.org (Google’s philanthropy) awarded a $10 million grant to AARP Foundation to support free technology trainings to people with low-income, age 50+, focusing especially on women and […]

Coursera Partnership with Center for Workforce Inclusion – Empowering Older Adults with Essential Skills Training

Overview In February 2024, the Center for Workforce Inclusion (Center) announced a collaborative venture with Coursera: The Center for Workforce Inclusion Partnership with Coursera to Empower Older Adults with Essential […]

National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) – Ireland

Overview The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) of Ireland describes the qualifications used in the nation’s education and training system. The 10-level NFQ classifies the level, class of award, and […]

Partnership between Maryland State Corrections & University System of Maryland

Overview In July 2024, the Maryland State Corrections Department announced a new agreement with the University System of Maryland to establish a framework to bring higher education programs to every […]

CareerNavGPT – SkillUp Coalition

Overview Launched by the SkillUp Coalition, CareerNavGPT has a mission to provide a guided and supported path to ensure that all STARs have access to high-opportunity and quality employment. CareerNacGPT […]

College Credit for Military Experience – North Carolina Military Equivalency System

Overview In February 2024, the University of North Carolina System (UNC) launched a new tool to translate military occupations and training to college courses across its 16 public universities. The […]

Playbook: Incremental Credentialing at the Graduate Level (Credential As You Go)

Overview Credential As You Go is an initiative working with many partners toward a nationally recognized transferable incremental credentialing system that increases the number of high-quality, post-high school credentials that lead […]

The Power of Systems Initiative – NASH

Overview The National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) manages a number of projects within its Power of Systems initiative launched in December 2021, and expanded in spring 2024. NASH […]

Center for a Skills First Future (SFF) – SHRM Foundation

Overview In April 2024, SHRM and the SHRM Foundation announced that its new Skills-First Center of Excellence (SFCOE) will launch in early 2025. The goal of SFCOE is to modernize […]

State Opportunity Index – Strada Education Foundation

Overview In April 2024, Strada Education Foundation published The State Opportunity Index to help state policymakers and higher education institutions assess how well they are leveraging post-high school education — […]

National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity — National Institute for Standards & Technology (NIST)

Overview The Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework) was released by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, in April […]

Bridging the Gap: A State Leader’s Guide to Implementing Summer Bridge Programs (Education Strategy Group)

Overview In March 2024, Education Strategy Group published A State Leader’s Guide to Implementing Summer Bridge Programs with support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Guide provides insights […]

Indiana Model Credit for Prior Learning Policy Guidance

Overview In March 2024, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education launched the Indiana Model Credit for Prior Learning Policy Guidance, a first-time statewide policy guidance for credit for prior learning. […]

Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships – BLU

Overview Business Leaders United is an initiative of the nonpartisan nonprofit, National Skills Coalition. BLU is a free, private business network that promotes inclusive, high-quality skills training policies that build the skilled workforce […]

Workforce of the Future Playbook – Federal Government

Overview Collectively, the federal agencies lead the nation’s largest workforce of more than 2.2 million federal employees. In February 2024, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued the Workforce of […]

CASA Latina: Online Bilingual Program – Davenport University

Overview In March 2024, Davenport University (Grand Rapids, Michigan) launched Casa Latina, an initiative that leads to career-oriented bilingual undergraduate and graduate degrees and professional proficiency in English and Spanish. […]

Partnership to Advance Edtech Ecosystem – 1EdTech & Digital Promise

Overview In March 2024, two global nonprofit organizations — 1EdTech® and Digital Promise — announced a new partnership to support each other’s work to create a greater impact on teaching […]

Guide: The 6 Anchors of Student Retention – Proven Strategies for Long-Term Student Success & Engagement in Adult Education

Overview Essential Education in partnership with the Coalition of Adult Basic Education (COABE) examined six adult education retention-impacting factors to produce The 6 Anchors of Student Retention – Proven Strategies […]

LER Accelerator

Overview The LER Accelerator was launched in 2024 with support from Walmart. The effort is boosting the adoption of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) in postsecondary education by focusing on […]

Access in Prison Initiative – JSTOR

Overview The JSTOR digital library enables incarcerated people to access scholarly materials and texts online in more than 1,000 U.S. prisons across all 50 U.S. states. Learners use JSTOR resources […]

United States Qualification Framework (USQF)

Overview In 2023-2024, the United States Qualification Framework (USQF) Advisory Council designed and developed a proposed National Qualifications Framework for the U.S. which was issued in 2024. USQF’s goal is […]

State Skills-Based Hiring in the Public Sector – NGA

Overview In January 2024, The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) launched, Skills-Based Hiring In The Public Sector, an initiative supported by a grant from Walmart. The […]

Global Micro-Credential Schema Mapping Project – Credential Engine

Overview Credential Engine launched the Global Micro-Credential Schema Mapping to create a standardized framework for categorizing and describing microcredentials across the global education and workforce landscape. The project addresses the […]

The Great Admissions Redesign – Lumina Foundation

Overview The Great Admissions Redesign is a grant-funded initiative of Lumina Foundation that responds to the evolving landscape of college admissions. In February 2024, Lumina announced the winners of its […]

Noncredit Research Collaborative

Overview Researchers from four universities (University of Michigan, University of California-Irvine, University of North Carolina – Charlotte, and Rutgers University) are partnering in the Noncredit Research Collaborative launched in early […]

1EdTech Open Badges Standard

Overview Open Badges are information-rich visual tokens of verifiable achievements earned by recipients and easily shared on the web and via social media. The Open Badges standard describes a method […]

Universal Credit Transfer Explorer – Ithaka S+R

Overview In February 2024, Ithaka S+R launched a public, non-profit, national credit mobility website. The aim of the initiative is to help address the challenges college students face when they […]

Microcredential Pathways in Behavioral Health – Colorado

Overview In February 2024, the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) launched an initiative to help meet significant demands for qualified workers in the behavioral health field. Participating community colleges will […]

Playbook: Quality, Trust & Value of Incremental Credentials (Credential As You Go)

Playbook: Learner Supports (Credential As You Go)

Forum for Community Solutions — The Aspen Institute

Overview Launched in 2012, The Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions is a program focused on addressing community challenges through collaborative efforts among community organizations and leaders. The program facilitates […]

Value Data Collaborative (VDC)

Overview Launched in 2024 by the Institution for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), this initiative brings together representatives from states, institutions, and higher education systems to use data to better understand […]

Binary Accreditation System in India – National Assessment and Accreditation Council

Overview In February 2024, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) announced a binary accreditation system for higher education institutions in India, in which institutions will be categorized as accredited […]

Healthcare-Focused High Schools – Bloomberg Philanthropies

Overview On January 17, 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies launched a $250 million initiative to create new high schools around the nation that will graduate students directly into high-demand healthcare jobs with […]

Credential Engine Learning and Employment Records Action Guide

Overview The Credential Engine Learning and Employment Records (LER) Action Guide (updated January 2024) offers a structured, step-by-step approach for stakeholders to establish and sustain dependable LER ecosystems. It emphasizes […]

Unified Credential Framework (UCF) – Western Governors University

Overview Western Governors University published the Unified Credential Framework (UCF) in March 2022 to ensure that the array of credentials awarded through the university (degrees, competency badges, certificates, certifications, specializations) […]

Pathsmith™ (Durable Skills Advantage Framework) – America Succeeds

Overview Launched Jan. 17, 2024, the Durable Skills Advantage Framework is an employer-generated common lexicon for essential non-technical skills. The Framework is viewed as an important step in addressing education […]

Credential Chats – AACRAO

Overview The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) launched a communications initiative in early 2024 called “Understanding the Future of Credentials – Credential Chats.” The goal of […]

Building Rural Innovation, Designing Educational Strategies (BRIDGES) & The Rural College Practitioner Design & Data Academies

Overview BRIDGES (Building Rural Innovation, Designing Educational Strategies) is a 3-year initiative launched in 2020 by the Education Design Lab. The initiative focuses on strengthening the capacity of rural community […]

LER Ecosystem Map (Learning & Employment Records)

Overview Learning and Employment Records (LERs) are digital records of learning and experience that are linked to and may be controlled by learners and earners. LERS are proposed to include […]

Credential Lab Service & Innovation Center – Higher Learning Commission

Overview The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) launched the Credential Lab in September 2023 with initial funding support from Lumina Foundation. The Credential Lab is a hub that supports educational providers, […]

Building Capacity, Expanding Pathways: Accelerating the Growth of Credential Innovation in Higher Education – UPCEA

Overview In August 2023, UPCEA received a one-year grant from Walmart to accelerate the growth of credential innovation in higher education. The project is founded in the recognition that non-degree […]

Inventory of Community College Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Overview Currently, 25 states allow their community colleges by legislative action to offer some baccalaureate degrees: California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, […]

Publication year: 2024