What's Happening?
Education Design Lab, in collaboration with Credential Engine and supported by Walmart, has announced the selection of 10 organizations to receive funding through the Advancing Workforce Mobility initiative. This initiative aims to improve the visibility,
trust, and transferability of workers' skills and credentials across education and workforce systems. The selected organizations, which include nonprofits and governmental bodies, will receive funding ranging from $250,000 to $600,000. They will participate in an 18-month cohort experience that includes technical assistance and peer learning. The initiative focuses on creating a more transparent skills ecosystem by supporting diverse approaches and geographies, including tribal communities, rural towns, urban centers, and military communities.
Why It's Important?
The initiative addresses significant barriers faced by over 70 million U.S. workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs). These individuals often find it challenging to have their skills recognized and translated across different systems, which hinders their hiring and advancement opportunities. By improving credential transparency and validation, the initiative aims to enhance economic mobility and open new career pathways for these workers. The support from Walmart underscores the importance of corporate involvement in addressing systemic workforce challenges and highlights the potential for scalable solutions that can be replicated across various sectors.
What's Next?
Over the next 18 months, the grantees will work on designing, testing, and scaling solutions that make skills more visible and trusted. This includes building employer trust in non-degree credentials and connecting credential data across systems using open standards. The projects will contribute to a broader vision of a skills ecosystem where credentials are easily compared and applied across different systems. The initiative will generate shared learning about effective practices, which can inform future workforce development strategies.
Beyond the Headlines
The initiative's focus on credential transparency and skills validation could lead to long-term shifts in how skills are recognized and valued in the labor market. By embedding performance-based assessments and employer co-design into credentialing processes, the initiative may influence broader educational and workforce policies. This could result in a more inclusive and equitable labor market, where skills and competencies are prioritized over traditional educational credentials.
