Intersect With Earl December 2025

by Earl Buford on Dec 18, 2025

The new year marks a new but familiar chapter for CAEL, as we will once again operate as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization effective January 1. We begin this chapter with an unwavering commitment to not just connect learning and work but to build the integrated infrastructure of opportunity for the next generation. With that in mind, as I wish you Happy Holidays, I’d also like to suggest a New Year’s resolution: partner with at least one employer or educator to create or support a credential pathway that learners and workers can navigate to rewarding careers.

How credentials are valued: Surveys about employer perspectives on postsecondary credentials remain a mixed bag, but one that is full of opportunities. In an American Association of Colleges and Universities survey of executives and hiring managers, respondents agreed that higher ed benefits the workforce on multiple levels. Eighty-five percent said higher ed is doing a good job in workforce preparation, 81% indicated that a microcredential is a positive influence in hiring decisions, 80% expressed that education prepared students to use constructive dialogue to manage workplace disagreements, and 81% said they’d be more likely to hire someone who completed an internship or apprenticeship. Meanwhile, WGU’s inaugural Workforce Decoded Report, a survey of various employers, found that 86% believe non-degree certificates are valid indicators of job readiness, with 78% feeling that work experience equals or surpasses a degree. However, only 37% agreed that higher ed institutions are imparting skills needed for workforce success. These findings don’t present an either/or conundrum. But they do remind us that credentials, from digital badges to advanced degrees, must be tailored to individual aspirations and career-furthering competencies.

What we can learn from the LEARN Commission: The Learning Evaluation and Recognition for the Next Generation (LEARN) Commission, a two-year initiative launched in 2024, has issued its final report. The importance of the commission’s work is evident in its title; the report notes that it favors the phrase “learning evaluation” over the traditional “credit evaluation” in a nod to the importance of the integration of competencies gained outside of the classroom. It calls for shifting from a deficit-based mindset to one that values the assets that have prepared learners for further education. The report offers several recommendations for increasing credit applicability, process efficiency, transparency and communication, and learner support. It was a pleasure for CAEL to help address these key issues through Dr. Beth Doyle’s membership on the LEARN Commission.

Working out Workforce Pell: Draft regulations for Workforce Pell proposed during a Department of Education rule-making committee will soon be posted on the Federal Register for public comment. One key question is the inclusion of noncredit programs in Workforce Pell, which requires programs to stack into a subsequent credential. This underscores the value of establishing proactive CPL crosswalks that link legitimate nontraditional learning experiences to traditional programs.

Ripple effects from reengaging adult learners: The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education released some great data that shows the wide-ranging impact of engaging adult learners. According to the report, it takes an average of 24 touch contacts to transform a stopped-out student into a Comebacker. It’s well worth the effort. Since 2023, the state’s Some College, No Degree program has helped 13,500 Comebackers reenroll, resulting in $74 million in tuition and more than 1,400 graduations. The report also indicates that each new graduate boosts New Jersey’s annual GDP by more than $137,000 and leads an average of 7 additional jobs.

From extracurricular to extraterrestrial: Here are some new takes on internships from our friends at the Institute of Competition Sciences. The Plant the Moon Challenge invites high school and postsecondary students (as well as professionals) to conduct experiments into plant growth that can meet astronaut nutrient needs. NASA ORBIT (Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology for the Workforce) is a national challenge that invites university and community college students to innovate NASA resources to address terrestrial challenges or support moon-to-Mars missions. $380,000 in total award funding is available for NASA ORBIT participants.

Member mention: Congratulations to Eversource, an EPCE member, for receiving the 2025 Community Partnership Award from the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD). EPCE and CEWD share a similar mission: ensuring the current and next generation of energy employees are ready to seize current energy industry opportunities as well as those in the future. The CEWD Community Partnership Award highlights Eversource’s innovations in energy workforce development, including its ongoing collaboration with community colleges and labor organizations.

Grant opportunity: The U.S. Department of Education has launched the Connecting Talent to Opportunity (CTO) Challenge, a national initiative to accelerate the development of statewide Talent Marketplaces that better connect learners, earners, and employers through skills-based systems. Beginning January 2026, state governors—working with Perkins, adult education, and workforce partners—are invited to build or scale Talent Marketplaces that include credential registries, learning and employment records (LERs), and skills-based job description tools. Up to 10 states will be selected as semi-finalists/finalists and receive tailored technical assistance and access to a $15 million prize pool. The challenge prioritizes recognition of skills, stackable credentials, and prior learning to support labor force participation and skills-based hiring. More information is available at cto-challenge.com. If you’re curious about how CAEL might partner on your application, please contact MelissaKaye Sheokski.