Learning & Employment Records (LERs)

A globally interoperable micro-credential is a digital credential designed to be issued, stored, shared, and verified across different technical platforms and regional (including cross-national) credentialing…

Refers to a portable, digital record that captures a learner's achievements, credentials, and experiences. The record (a detailed portfolio) can follow the learner across various educational institutions…

Public libraries are increasingly positioned to act as learning and skills intermediaries, helping individuals use technology to access learning, demonstrate and verify their skills, and navigate emerging…

An issuer registry, a type of trust registry which can be used in W3C Verifiable Credential Ecosystems, is a dataset which contains a list of “known issuers” and their unique identifiers like URLs (uniform…

Refers to knowledge, competencies, and experiences that have been formally assessed and verified by a trusted source—such as an educator, employer, credentialing organization, or digital platform—to meet…

A behavioral science-based approach that uses prompts, reminders, or cues—often delivered via digital platforms—to influence individual decision-making and encourage desired actions without mandating them…

As data generated through workplace technologies expands, especially with AI-enabled tools, new approaches are emerging to rethink how employee data is managed and who has a say in its use. Two terms describe…

An inclusive term that encompasses many types of learners; for example, those taking part in the educational process whether a degree program or microcredential. Learners acquire new competencies and skills as…

Refers to types of technology that support student transfer and credit mobility. Many aim to automate and speed credit evaluation and verification processes for learners and reduce biases introduced by…

According to the Data Quality Campaign's Data 101, there are three key types of data common to education and workforce: Student Data (P-12) Information such as attendance, grades, student growth, outcomes…

Refers to a coordinated approach to designing, implementing, and recognizing microcredentials across multiple stakeholders—such as education providers, employers, workforce agencies, and governments. The…

The open internet ecosystem relies on web crawlers—automated bots that systematically browse millions of websites to collect various forms of data, including text, tables, images, audio, and video. Web-crawled…

Higher education institutions require revenues to operate and these typically come from sources such as student enrollments (tuition/fees), grants, subsidies, and government support. In the face of…

According to the T3 Innovation Network’s LER for SBHA Toolkit, a verifiable credential (VC) is an open data standard from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that defines how to express a credential and attach…

As defined by IBM, a data center is a physical room, building or facility that houses IT infrastructure for building, running and delivering applications and services. It also stores and manages the data…

Web scraping is a technology tool to collect information from websites automatically. Instead of copying and pasting data by hand, a computer program quickly gathers the information and organizes it. The…

With the rise of generative AI, large language models (LLMs) rely heavily on web crawls to gather training and inference data, particularly from news articles, academic papers, public blog content, government…

A cloud-based solution that streamlines digital transformation (modernization) by connecting disparate systems and data sources through a centralized integration hub. Widely used in both public and private…

The term badge backpack is the original descriptor of Open Badges services that include badge importing, aggregation, and hosting. Also referred to as wallets, passports, and portfolios, badge backpacks help to

Technology systems and tools play a critical role in supporting the complex components of the learn-and-work ecosystem. In an increasingly digital learn-and work environments, technology tools and systems are…

The HR Open Standards Consortium is an independent, nonprofit, volunteer-led organization that works to facilitate the open exchange of data among human resource (HR) professionals. It seeks to develop and…

A digital or electronic platform is a technology-enabled software solution, an interactive online service that facilitates the exchange of information, tools, and resources. These platforms act as virtual…

Digital credentials are similar to digital badges in the sense that they create opportunities for learners and workers to demonstrate qualifications, skill sets, claims, or achievements through digital…

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), over a million students have transferred among colleges since 2015. Transfer has long been a core mechanism through which students move credits…

Skills visibility refers to the ability of individuals to clearly present their skills—whether acquired through formal education, work experience, or alternative learning pathways—and for employers, credential…

The learn-and-work ecosystem encompasses a diverse set of stakeholders, including education and other service providers, employers, and learners. Federal, state, local, and institutional policies affect…

Remedial (also known as developmental education) is required instruction and support for learners who are assessed by their education institution of choice as being academically underprepared for postsecondary…

Adult learners are known by a variety of names: nontraditional students, adult students, returning adults, adult returners, mature learners. Common characteristics of adult learners may include: 25 to 65 years…

The landscape of postsecondary education and workforce development is undergoing a profound transformation, leading to a substantial and rapidly expanding body of research on credentials. This dynamic field…

A union is an association of workers in a specific profession who organize to protect and advocate for their interests. Unions have represented workers in many industries recognized under U.S. labor law since…

Competency-based education (CBE) and competency-based learning are interchangeable terms. CBE is an outcomes-based approach to education advanced through a set of policies and practices. The approach is built…

At the core, competency and skills models and learning frameworks provide structured ways to define, categorize, and recognize the knowledge, skills, and abilities (often referred to as KSAs) individuals need…

Employers and education providers collaborate to ensure a learn-to-work pipeline by offering training, credentials, and worked-based learning opportunities. Specific industries partner with educational…

A certificate is a type of award conferred by a college, university, training program, university extension program, career and technical education schools, or other postsecondary education institution…

Awarded by colleges and universities with governmental authority (from a state, recognized Native American tribe, or the federal government), a degree represents a formal academic qualification. These lasting…

Auto-award refers to the practice of automatically awarding degrees, certificates, or digital credentials to students or learners once they have met established requirements, without requiring a separate…

Frontloaded embedded non-degree pathways represent an innovative and increasingly vital strategy within the learn-and-work ecosystem, specifically designed to address the urgent need for rapid re- and…

Microcredentials (micro-credentials) are a record of focused learning achievement verifying what the learner knows, understands, or can do. They include an assessment based on clearly defined standards and are…

Foundations are non-governmental, nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting charitable, educational, or other benevolent activities. Often referred to as endowments or charitable trusts, their core…

Three-year degree programs are undergraduate college degrees that typically can be completed in three years instead of the traditional four years. Three-year bachelor's degree programs are also referred to as…

There are many financial aid options available to assist learners in paying for their college education. These include federal grants and loans, state financial aid assistance, private loans, work study…

Today's rapidly evolving digital landscape introduces three increasingly important concepts: digital decay, internet poisoning or content evolution, and digital archiving. These terms highlight the dynamic…

Skilled trades are careers that require experience-based skills and knowledge. These are typically hands-on careers; rely on apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs to teach entry-level professionals…

In September 2024, Google launched a new feature that allows users to access archived versions of webpages directly from its search results. This integration with the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine means…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science focused on creating systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These include reasoning, learning…

Goodwill Centers are an initiative of Goodwill International, a U.S.-based nonprofit that sells donated clothing and household items to help people learn marketable skills, find jobs, and grow their careers…

While higher education institutions and other third-party providers typically understand the role of accreditation as a quality assurance mechanism in credentialing, companies more often work with standards and

The T3 Innovation Network (T3 Network) mission is to accelerate the digital transformation of a diverse and equitable talent marketplace through data interoperability supported by collective action and shared…

Skills-based hiring focuses on skills, not degrees. To succeed at a job, an employee needs the skills to perform their role and duties; this is the foundation of skills-based hiring. The increasing focus on…

Modular learning unbundles the traditional learning packages of degrees and puts them into more manageable learning chunks. These chunks are also tied to real career and life outcomes. Modular learning enables…

Funding models refer to the ways in which organizations acquire revenue to operate. There is an array of sources of revenue for nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions (both public and private…

Skills profiling is a way to measure an individual’s strengths. The profile created is used to track career progression and communicate the skills that an individual possesses to employers. Career advisors…

Graduate/professional education refers to in-depth training and specialized instruction after the undergraduate level of education. Studying and learning are usually more self-directed at the graduate level…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) encompasses a diverse range of educational programs that integrate academic knowledge with technical skills and real-world application. CTE spans secondary (middle and high…

As the nature of work evolves amid technological, economic, and demographic changes, U.S. colleges and universities have been increasingly innovating to prepare learners for lifelong employability and…

A project of the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio, funded by SkillsFWD and announced in December 2023, this initiative leverages the SchooLinks college and career readiness platform to match…

Led by the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy and funded by SkillsFWD, this project is expanding and improving the state's skills-based hiring ecosystem by leveraging Learning and Employment Records…

The State of ​California's Career Passport initiative is a digital tool designed to help workers showcase their skills and experiences to potential employers. It combines traditional academic records like…

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…

Launched in 2023, the Learner Information Framework (LIF) is a collaborative 24-month initiative funded by a grant from the Gates Foundation. The initiative aims to empower adult learners by providing them with

In April 2024, the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) launched the Center for Skills by C-BEN (the Center). Supported by a $1.5 million grant from Walmart, the Center is creating and implementing ways…

The Manufacturing Readiness Project launched in 2023 to make it easier for military veterans to find quality civilian careers in manufacturing—and for manufacturers to build a talented workforce. The project…

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 Tennessee and Alabama…

In 2024, Education Design Lab launched CredCompare, a credential provider comparison tool to help higher education institutions select digital credential solutions within the increasingly competitive…

Announced in November 2024 and launched in July 2025, the Infuse Initiative led by AACRAO is building a sustainable, public-purpose infrastructure that enables higher education institutions to adopt digital…

Launched in 2025, Skills Scoop is a free newsletter designed to focus on skills-based hiring and career mobility. The aim of the online platform, Skills Scoop is to help organizations celebrate and elevate…

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…

In 2025, Arizona State University (ASU) launched the national initiative, Work-integrated Learning Accelerator (WIL Accelerator), to bridge the growing gap between higher education, educational technology…

The Wellspring Initiative from 1EdTech (Phase 1 in 2020, Phase 2 in 2021) is a multiyear program that seeks to create an open, scalable foundation for a lifelong learning ecosystem. The initiative is based on…

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…

In 2023, the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) issued Data 101, a briefing book to inform education leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders about key topics related to education and workforce data. The DQC…

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 for packaging…

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 that are working to develop a…

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) is addressing the need to improve credit mobility. The consistent and equitable application of student records processes and…

In 2022, CAEL received a $15.7 million grant under Truist Foundation's Where It Starts initiative. Through this partnership, CAEL is leading Build Better Careers, a 6-year national initiative to put underserved

Launched in 2025, the Good Jobs Economy Project is a bipartisan national initiative managed by the nonprofit America Achieves. The project represents a coordinated push to rebuild the bridge between education…

On June 19, 2025, the 1EdTech Consortium and HR Open Standards Consortium announced the Bridging Education and Employment Through Open Standards initiative. The initiative is aimed at reducing barriers to…

On October 2, 2023, more than 70 corporate partners (including Fortune 500s, Chambers of Commerce, and small businesses), the National Skills Coalition, and Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships…

The Business Roundtable leads the Apprenticeship Accelerator Initiative. Launched in 2022, the initiative helps companies develop and/or scale their registered apprenticeship programs to expand opportunities to

The European Blockchain Partnership (EBP) is a key initiative to develop a blockchain strategy. It includes 29 countries -- all EU Member States, Lichtenstein, and Norway. The partnership is helping avoid…

The technology innovation team behind SkillsEngine is based in Austin, Texas. The team builds data-driven solutions to connect the worlds of learning and work through a unified skills language. Its mission is…

The Kansas Board of Regents, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Commerce, has implemented Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas (AO-K) to transform the delivery system for adult education in the state. The

Formerly the Catalyzing Transfer Initiative (CTI), the Transfer and Credit Mobility Initiative grew out of Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) Foundation’s previous Catalyzing Transfer Initiative…

Leaders in Alabama are developing a statewide Credential Registry as a state-specific subset of the global Credential Registry. They are using the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) available…

: The HR Open Standards Consortium has developed the Resumé/CV Project, a crucial data exchange standard designed to streamline the communication of individual qualifications within the recruiting process…

SkyHive® is a Certified B Corporation and software provider of global workforce intelligence technology. Examples of uses of the SkyHive Platform include: Leading enterprises use SkyHive’s cloud-based…

Educational Quality Outcomes Standards (EQOS) launched as an independent nonprofit organization in April 2020. EQOS created a common set of metrics around the efficacy and quality of education and training…

America Achieves, in partnership with Rural Innovation Strategies Inc., released the 2022 report, "Creating and Expanding a Diverse Broadband Workforce with Good Jobs and Career Pathways: Broadband Equity…

The Launch: Equitable and Accelerated Pathways for All initiative was announced in February 2023 by the Education Strategy Group. The national initiative is developing college and career pathways that strive…

1EdTech’s Digital Credentials Learn & Lead Roundtables offer knowledge and resources for institutional leaders driving credentialing programs and initiatives at their institutions, sharing best practices from…

Founded in 2020, the OneTen Network aims to close the opportunity gap for talent without four-year degrees in America. The Network is composed of a coalition of leaders working together to cultivate economic…

Accelerate ED focuses on building stronger, smoother, and accelerated pathways between K-12 education, postsecondary education, and careers. The initiative is coordinated by the Education Strategy Group (ESG)…

STARs is a national initiative created and managed by the nonprofit organization, Opportunity@Work. The organization's mission is to rewire the U.S. labor market so that all individuals "skilled through…

The NewPathways campaign, led by Getting Smart, is a roadmap for American schools, where every learner, regardless of zip code, is on a pathway to productive citizenship, high wage employment and economic…

The Arapahoe Community College Consortium (Colorado) launched Year to Career Through Micro-Pathways (Year to Career) in February 2023. The initiative is funded by a U.S. Department of Labor grant through the…

In August 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a grant to 32 industry-led workforce training partnerships across the U.S. as part of the $500 million Good Jobs Challenge [Archived 2022, August 3]…

Launched in June 2022, the European Digital Education Hub is an online voluntary community of practice established by the European Commission to connect educators, teacher trainers, researchers, policymakers…

In March 2021, The University of Texas System (UT) launched the Texas Credentials for the Future initiative with assistance from a Strada Education Foundation grant. This work enables UT institutions to expand…

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), in partnership with Jobs for the Future (JFF), launched the Skills-Driven State Community of Practice initiative in 2022 to help…

The Community College Growth Engine Fund focuses on the creation of employer-validated micro-pathways. These pathways are defined as two or more stackable credentials, including a 21st century skill…

Rachel Yang Zhou’s research study, “Understanding Experiential Learning Through Work-Based College Coursetaking: Evidence From Transcript Data Using a Text Mining Technique” offers insights about the importance

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the T3 Innovation Network launched the Job Data Exchange (JDX) initiative in 2021 to develop a public-private approach for collecting and using standards-based jobs…

Skillful, originally a nonprofit initiative of the Markle Foundation, was designed in 2013 and launched in 2016 to focus on a skills-first model to create greater economic mobility and opportunity. To reduce…

The Open Skills Network (OSN) is a coalition of employers, education providers, policymakers, the military, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders dedicated to advancing skills-based education and…

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 credentials are a…

In August 2023, the National Healthcareer Association (NCA) and Ascend Learning announced an initiative within the state of Colorado called the Credential Integrity Action Alliance (CIAA). The 501(c)(4)…

Achieving the Dream (ATD) and Jobs for the Future (JFF) are leading the Improving Economic Mobility for Adult Learners Initiative which launched in June 2023 and ended in December 2024. ATD and JFF co-developed

Colorado passed multiple bills in 2022 to support credentialing strategies and assist disadvantaged students. Stackable Credential Pathways (Senate Bill 22-192) calls for improving access to quality credentials

The Mapping Upward Project [Archived 2024, April 13] was a two-year project (2015-2017) of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE). The project's aim was to…

Frontier Set was a national initiative (2015-2021) comprised of colleges, universities, state systems of higher education, and supporting organizations committed to (1) transforming how institutions operate by…

An agreement between the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) and SAS Institute makes SAS software bundles available to MHEC members at discounted prices. SAS software capabilities include data access…

The European Year of Skills was necessitated after employers across the European Union reported difficulty finding workers with the necessary skills. The European Labour Authority in Report on labour shortages…

Montana launched a statewide microcredential development initiative on September 20, 2023. Announced by the Education Design Lab (the Lab), the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE), and

The ADVANCE Integrated Education Training (IET) project (2022–2025) is being conducted by the American Institutes for Research in partnership with World Education, Inc., and funded by the U.S. Department of…

The 1EdTech Consortium established the TrustEd Microcredential Coalition to help realize the potential benefits of microcredentials for learners, educators, and employers. Founding members of the coalition…

Launched January 17, 2024, the Durable Skills Framework (formerly known as the Durable Skills Advantage Framework) is an employer-validated common lexicon for essential non-technical skills. The Framework is…

The Harvard Project on Workforce team, in partnership with the National Fund for Workforce Solutions reported in Unlocking Economic Prosperity: Career Navigation in a Time of Rapid Change (November 2023) that…

Launched in 2024 by the Institution for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), the Value Data Collaborative (VDC) initiative brings together representatives from states, institutions, and higher education systems to…

The Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) initiative is the signature approach to learning assessment from the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Recognizing…

In June 2023, Jobs for the Future (JFF) launched the Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work. The Center is founded in the recognition that AI is reshaping every aspect of how we learn, work…

The Postsecondary State Network, also known as the Postsecondary Network (PSN), was convened twice annually by Jobs For the Future (JFF) from 2012 through 2019. The Network includes the 16-state Student Success

With the assistance of a grant awarded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation in summer 2022, Business Roundtable partnering with Business Higher Education Forum (BHEF) expanded its work on the Workforce Partnership…

In March 2024, two global nonprofit organizations, 1EdTech® and Digital Promise, announced a partnership to support each other's work to create a greater impact on teaching and learning, particularly in digital

Launched in 2020, the EdUp Experience Podcast Network is an independent podcast network with a goal to facilitate positive educational change and inspire lifelong learning through podcasts, livecasts, and other

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 of…

Launched in 2022, the 18-month Artificial Intelligence Incubator Network Initiative designs and builds Artificial Intelligence (AI) Incubators across the U.S. Managed by the American Association of Community…

In 2023, the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) created the AI Education Policy & Practice Ecosystem Framework for institutions to develop policies related to artificial intelligence (AI) in…

HBCUv is a multi-year initiative that is building a virtual e-learning ecosystem for Black colleges and universities. With institutional partners and tech innovators, HBCUv’s pilot launched in Fall 2023 with…

The Rework America Alliance is an initiative originally launched in 2020 by the Markle Foundation, and now managed since October 2023 by Jobs for the Future (JFF). The alliance is focused on providing…

In November 2022, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) launched the Raise the Bar: Unlocking Career Success, an initiative to increase and expand access to high-quality training programs to help young…

In March 2022, the University of Phoenix launched the University of Phoenix Career Institute, a research center within its College of Doctoral Studies. The institute conducts research, shares insights to inform

Excelencia in Education’s mission is to accelerate Latino student success in higher education. In 2021, Excelencia established the Seal of Excelencia, a national certification for higher education institutions…

In February 2022, the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Carnegie Foundation) announced their partnership to create the next version of the Carnegie

In April 2024, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the SHRM Foundation announced that its new Center for a Skills First Futures (SFF) would launch in Spring 2025. The goal of SFF is to…

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 initiative…

In August 2023, Complete College America (CCA), a national non-profit organization focused on raising postsecondary attainment in the U.S., announced the selection of 11 state partners to join the national CCA…

The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC), supported by a grant from Walmart, is working with partners to strengthen Colorado's workforce system so that job seekers can more easily define and share…

In 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) launched the first Federal Youth Apprentice Pathway program. The program was designed to focus on ways the federal agencies…

In July 2024, Ithaka S+R and Complete College America announced a partnership to support learner success through holistic credit mobility policies, practices, and technologies. The project's goal is to share…

In 2018, Digital Promise created the Learner Variability Navigator. The Navigator is an interactive tool (also referred to as a platform) that provides research-based strategies and resources tailored to key…

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 the…

The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act is bipartisan legislation introduced on March 13, 2024, in the U.S. Congress. The Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to narrow the…

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

College Credit for Industry-Recognized Credentials is a key transfer initiative in Ohio and part of the Ohio Transfer Promise initiative. Through the Industry Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guides…

In September 2024, The Job by Work Shift highlighted two new university efforts to better serve working learners: Georgia Institute of Technology's new College of Lifetime Learning, and Western Governors…

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) founded the Multi-State Data Collaborative (MSDC) in 2018. The initiative brings state agency program, policy, and data experts together to focus on…

In October 2023, Jobs for the Future (JFF) published Skills-Based Practices: An Employer Journey Map - Maturity Diagnostic and Readiness Assessment. The document is a one-stop guide to help business leaders…

In October 2024, WGU Labs, the research, development, and investment arm of Western Governors University (WGU), released its research report, Moving Forward, Looking Back: Analyzing the Path of Rising Talent…

BuildWithin is a software platform that launched in November 2022 to provide employers with the ability to create, manage, and expand apprenticeship programs to accelerate the productivity of new workers in the

In July 2024, as part of the Domestic Manufacturing Auto Conversion Grants Program, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) award $2 billion in grants to support the conversion of 11 shuttered or at-risk auto…

In July 2024, UPCEA (online and professional education association) received a grant from Walmart to drive innovation in skills-based credentialing through the “Expanding Institutional Capacity for Employer…

In October 2024, the U.S. National Science Foundation announced the addition of three new NSF Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps™) Hub Regions. NSF I-Corp Hubs™ scale the NSF-led National Innovation Network (NIN)…

In October 2024, the American Council on Education (ACE) launched Today’s Military Learners, with support from Lilly Endowment. The two-year project focuses on implementing a comprehensive national strategy to…

In June 2024, Jobs for the Future (JFF) launched the Disrupt the Divide with support from the Truist Foundation. The initiative supports postsecondary institutions to increase Black learners’ success in…

The Alamo Colleges District launched the Global Learner Pathway (GLP) in early 2024. The GLP is part of the community college district’s broader mission to build students' skills in global awareness…

Launched in 2023, the Knowing-Doing Network (KDN) is a project (2023 – 2026) within the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at the Brookings Institution. CUE focuses on global policy research focused on…

In October 2023, Hawkeye Community College, in partnership with One Cedar Valley and the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW), launched a 5-year project, Scaling Manufacturing and Renewables Training in…

In December 2024, the American Council on Education (ACE) and CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) published The National Landscape of Credit for Prior Learning and an interactive database that…

iQ4 developed the Cybersecurity Workforce Alliance (CWA) in 2015. The initiative began with private sector investment banks (member banks of the New York Federal Reserve), the bank regulatory community (New…

In January 2025, iDatafy LLC launched skills-based hiring tools to enhance the workforce recruitment process for employers. The tools and skills-matching features were developed in partnership with Arizona…

In February 2025, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) launched NC Community Colleges Boost, a program designed to accelerate student advancement through college and place students into…

In April 2025, the Project on Workforce and the National Governors Association (NGA) issued the research report, “Governors Reshaping Workforce Development: Turning WIOA Challenges into Workforce Solutions”…

SparkNC started initially in 2023 as an initiative of The Innovation Project (TIP), a nonprofit organization that aims to reimagine public education using equitable strategies. SparkNC supports school districts

​LinkedIn's 2023 report, Skills-First: Reimagining the Labor Market and Breaking Down Barriers, presents data to advocate for shifting to hiring practices that emphasize skills over traditional credentials like

Launched in 2024, the Skills-First Workforce Initiative is a national effort to accelerate the transition to a skills-based economy, where hiring, advancement, and educational pathways prioritize what…

In December 2023, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and Microsoft launched a partnership to create an open dialogue to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI)…

EDUCAUSE annually conducts a Higher Education Trend Watch to identify issues, trends, and technologies to provide useful information to the learn-and-work community, especially focused on information technology

In October 2024, the national nonprofit Opportunity@Work launched Transformers in the Public Sector, the inaugural cohort of the STARs Public Sector Hub, a nonprofit, non-partisan digital resource hub and…

In September 2024, Google and the Internet Archive announced a partnership to integrate the Wayback Machine into Google Search results. This collaboration enables users to access archived versions of webpages…

The New Future of Work (NFW) initiative is a cross-company comprehensive research endeavor created in 2021 at Microsoft aimed at understanding and shaping the evolving landscape of work. Launched in response to

Issued August 4, 2025, the 2024 National DACA Survey is the 10th consecutive annual national survey of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Recipients conducted by the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at

In August 2025, StraighterLine, a provider of affordable, self-paced college courses, and University of the People, a tuition-free, accredited online university, announced a partnership to offer a new pathway…

Launched in July 2025, AI Works for America, is Google’s national workforce development initiative to equip American workers and small and medium-sized businesses with essential artificial intelligence (AI) AI…

Miami Dade College (MDC) is the first higher education institution in Florida to be approved as a Registered Apprenticeship (RA) sponsor, a role traditionally held by employers. The college also bears the title

Two national nonprofit organizations, American Student Assistance (ASA) and Burning Glass Institute, studied the careers of millions of workers who went directly to work after high school to identify the…

The Unizin Data Platform (UDP) is a core initiative of Unizin that provides member institutions with a shared, cloud-based data infrastructure to support digital learning, analytics, and research. The platform…

The Walmart Foundation is a charitable organization connected to the Walmart retail company. Formed in 1982, the focus of the Foundation is addressing social issues and making a positive impact on communities…

Established in 2014, The SkillsCommons Repository (online library) provides open educational services and resources enabling communities, educational institutions, organizations, and businesses to prepare…

The Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS) is an executive branch agency established in 2020 that serves as the administrative staff to the Governor’s Workforce Council (GWC). Its vision is that every…

The SOLO (Skills, Opportunities, Learnings & Outcomes) Network (LLC) is an ecosystem that simplifies the adoption and implementation of skills and credential standards by providing a unified digital platform…

The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) is a U.S.-based professional association dedicated to the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession in…

The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) is a national, nonprofit membership organization that works to improve education-to-career pathways for adult learners. CAEL helps organizations succeed…

The Business-Higher Education Forum is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1978 that connects corporate and higher education leaders to align and scale solutions that meet emerging and persistent…

As of January 12, 2026, American Student Assistance (ASA), announced the organization’s new name and visual identity, to Britebound. Britebound (formally American Student Assistance- ASA) is a national…

The Minnesota State System was created in 1991 by the Minnesota legislature. The then-existing organizations—Minnesota State University System, Community College System, and Technical College System were…

The Marketable Skills and Digital Badging unit at Dallas College and the Learn & Work Ecosystem library are partnering to test the Library's usefulness as a reference tool as Dallas College explores plan