#United States #Washington #Walmart #Education Design Lab #Credential Engine

Advancing Workforce Mobility Initiative

Introduction

On April 2, 2026, the Education Design Lab made a significant announcement regarding its new initiative aimed at improving workforce mobility through enhanced credential transparency and skills validation. In partnership with Credential Engine and financial backing from Walmart, the Lab has selected ten grantees from a competitive pool of over 400 applicants. This initiative stands as a testament to the urgent need for effective solutions that address the recognition and transferability of skills and credentials in the labor market.

Overview of the Initiative

The Advancing Workforce Mobility initiative is designed to fund organizations that facilitate transparent recognition of skills and credentials, helping individuals transition smoothly through various pathways in their careers. The ten selected organizations include a blend of nonprofits and government entities focused on making skills more visible and leveraging them to connect individuals with real employment opportunities.

Grantees and Their Objectives

1. Accelerate Montana: This organization aims to incorporate Blackfoot Living Principles as workplace competencies, supporting the visibility of culturally grounded skills for human resources.
2. Alternative Mobile Services Association (AMSA): AMSA is pioneering a national certification for mobile crisis workers, who provide vital support in behavioral health settings.
3. American Council on Education (ACE): ACE's project focuses on making credentials for military-connected individuals visible and portable by integrating national standards.
4. Building Skills Partnership: This group is designing on-the-job training credentials specifically for entry-level janitorial positions in California, enhancing career progression pathways.
5. Butte County Office of Education – Back 2 Work: This initiative aims to facilitate skills capture and credentialing for incarcerated individuals, connecting them to job opportunities in sustainable energy sectors.
6. Center on Rural Innovation (CORI): CORI plans to test a model of skills validation that involves direct collaboration with employers across multiple rural communities.
7. Central Pines Regional Council: They are researching skills-based credentialing frameworks for local government positions, focusing on vacancies in central North Carolina.
8. Institute for Credentialing Excellence: This organization is creating pathways for skills-based micro-internships that result in recognized digital credentials for individuals facing educational barriers.
9. Jobs for the Future (JFF): JFF intends to analyze successful employer-funded credential programs to identify those that yield the best outcomes for workers.
10. Northeastern University: Their project focuses on showcasing the technical skills of workers in maritime manufacturing through digital credentialing systems.

Each selected organization will receive funding ranging from $250,000 to $600,000 and participate in an 18-month cohort that encourages peer learning, technical support, and a shared vision for a more effective skills ecosystem.

The Importance of the Initiative

There are approximately 70 million working adults in the U.S. classified as Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs), underscoring the necessity of creating systems that recognize their valuable skills obtained through various experiences—be it community college, military service, or self-directed learning. Unfortunately, many of these skills are often overlooked and difficult to translate within existing employment frameworks, posing barriers to career advancement and economic mobility.

The Advancing Workforce Mobility initiative is crucial for dismantling these barriers by promoting scalable solutions that enhance credential transparency and establish strong indicators of quality, thus making it simpler for employers, educators, and workers to comprehend and utilize skills effectively.

Comments from Leaders in the Field

Tara Laughlin, Senior Director of Skills Visibility at Education Design Lab, emphasized the importance of developing clear pathways for workers to demonstrate their capabilities. She stated, “Too many workers have the skills employers need, but lack clear, trusted ways to demonstrate them.” Monique Carswell, Director of Opportunity at Walmart, added that improving how skills are shared and described can significantly affect economic mobility for STARs.

In supporting this diverse cohort of organizations, the initiative aims not only to provide immediate solutions but also to share learning and build infrastructure that can be utilized nationally.

Future Directions

As the initiative unfolds, the grantees will work on several key outcomes:

• - Enhancing the visibility of skills—from cultural competencies to trade skills.
• - Establishing employer trust in non-degree credentials through co-designed assessments.
• - Creating connectivity across credential data systems utilizing open standards.
• - Generating insights on the effectiveness of various approaches and who they benefit most.

The goals are clear: build a transparent skills ecosystem that allows for easy comparison and transfer across varied systems and populations.

Conclusion

The Advancing Workforce Mobility initiative is a crucial step toward creating a more equitable labor market where skills are recognized and validated, enabling individuals from diverse backgrounds, including veterans, justice-impacted individuals, and mobile crisis responders, to achieve fulfilling careers. Through the collective efforts of these ten organizations, significant progress can be made to ensure that every worker has the opportunity to thrive in today’s job landscape.