Intersect With Earl May 2026

by Earl Buford on May 29, 2026

Short-term credentials must position learners for long-term success: Since our founding in 1974, CAEL has advocated for greater access to and recognition of quality learning in all its forms, including certificates and other non-degree programs. Accordingly, we have long supported making the Pell Grant applicable to quality shorter-term programs. The Department of Education has issued its final rule on Workforce Pell, and we look forward to helping maximize its potential for adult learners and the entire talent development ecosystem. As short-term credentials continue to proliferate, learners should be able to stack them into integrated pathways that meet real-time workforce needs without closing the door on longer-term career and academic aspirations. I’m pleased that students who choose to enroll in additional education programs will not count against a program’s median wage metric. As states put Workforce Pell into practice, it is critical that they consider how the program can best support extended pathways that accommodate the flexible on- and off-ramps the journey of rewarding lifelong learning requires.

California Career Passport: Last year, the California Cradle-to-Career Data System conducted research to help plan for the California Career Passport. As part of the preparation, they interviewed learning and employment record (LER) experts and implementers, including Dr. Beth Doyle. A recently released report shares key findings for the benefit of other states pursuing LER initiatives, which I believe will only grow in importance amid steadily increasing awareness of short-term credentials. The report references MyCareerForward, which CAEL is piloting in Pittsburgh as a regional approach to aligning workforce development, employers, community-based organizations, and education and training providers to help underserved workers and learners access rewarding career pathways.

The Heinz Endowments and CAEL’s regional work in Pittsburgh: A grant from The Heinz Endowments is contributing to CAEL’s efforts to scale such pathways in Pittsburgh and beyond. This support is an important part of our plan to create a Pittsburgh-specific career pathways playbook while also helping to inform general best practices we will export nationally from the laboratory of talent development innovation we are building in Pittsburgh.

Expert advice on scaling CPL: More and more educators, trainers, and employers are recognizing the all-embracing benefits of validating college-level learning that occurs outside of the traditional classroom. From improved retention and completion rates to better curriculum-workforce alignment to time and money saved for adult learners to more institutional credits completed, there are many ways to quantify these benefits and even more reasons to pursue them. I am delighted to share a recent Inside Higher Ed op-ed from CAEL’s very own Rachel Hirsch and Patricia Wallace, along with our partners at RAND, that outlines some ways states and systems can move the needle on scaling credit for prior learning (CPL) effectively.

Member Mention: Congratulations to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University on the receipt of a $4.5 million Gates Foundation grant. The university will use the funding to reengage with formerly enrolled learners and offer them accessible completion pathways.

Virtual convening: Last month, postsecondary leaders and workforce professionals from across the country joined us for our virtual convening, “Connecting the Dots: The Education to Employment Loop.” Keynote speakers included longtime higher ed journalist Paul Fain and Nick Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary for OCTAE at the U.S. Department of Education. Paul’s discussion centered on the evolving implication AI is having on the talent development landscape. Nick’s presentation was just as timely; his fireside chat focused on Workforce Pell implementation, credential quality, and skills-based hiring. My thanks to all who attended; as a reminder, registrants can access presentation materials and recordings at the attendee hub.