Spring 2026 Newsletter

Closing the Loop: A Recap of Our Inaugural Virtual Convening 

We recently celebrated the success of our virtual convening, “Connecting the Dots: The Education to Employment Loop,” which brought together postsecondary leaders and workforce professionals from across the country. The two-day event focused on reimagining education and training not as siloed segments, but as common threads within a renewable tapestry of talent development. We were honored to feature keynote insights from Paul Fain, who explored how AI is fundamentally shifting the reskilling landscape, and Nick Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary for OCTAE at the U.S. Department of Education, who joined us for a fireside chat on the operational rollout of Workforce Pell and interagency alignment. Thank you to everyone who joined us to move these vital conversations from theory to execution.

Registrants can access presentation materials and recordings at the attendee hub.

2026 conference registration is open

Registration is now open for the premier event bringing together leaders and innovators dedicated to aligning learning and work: CAEL’s annual conference! Once again, a hybrid setting will offer the best of both worlds, with live (and replay) virtual access complementing our in-person activities, which this year will take place in Pittsburgh Nov. 3-6 at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Hotel. 200+ engaging sessions will cover critical topics at the intersection of learning and work, including inspiring keynotes, roundtable discussions, and cross-sector networking opportunities

Register by May 31 to lock in early-bird pricing. We hope to see you in Pittsburgh—in the meantime, explore our expanded pre-conference offerings here.

$650,000 Heinz Endowments Grant To Support CAEL’s Career Pathways Work in Pittsburgh

CAEL has received a two-year grant of $650,000 from The Heinz Endowments. It will support CAEL’s work in building cross-sector collaboration to develop and distribute pathway maps that offer accessible entry points to rewarding careers for 18- to 24-year-olds. By the end of 2027, this collaboration aims to connect more than 500 young adults to career opportunities in high-growth sectors. The work will leverage important insight gained through similar initiatives CAEL has led throughout the country and help bring these best practices to the region. Drawing from this work and research throughout the country, CAEL will create a Pittsburgh-specific career pathways playbook, a resource that will be shared with CAEL's membership and other philanthropic entities and organizations in the education-employment ecosystem. This effort is designed to establish a durable and scalable framework that can position the region for sustained progress and ongoing collaboration over time.

CAEL, SUNY partner to bring Adult Learner 360™ to 10 New York Community Colleges

A partnership between the State University of New York (SUNY) and CAEL is bringing Adult Learner 360 to 10 SUNY community colleges. Adult Learner 360 is CAEL’s integrated diagnostic tool and consulting solution used to identify areas for improved service to adult learners. Parallel student and institutional surveys yield results that compare institutional practices with adult learner experiences, helping institutions take informed steps in implementing plans to better support their adult learners. Following survey completion, CAEL experts will work with the SUNY System and participating community colleges to address opportunities for enhancing adult learners’ academic experiences.  

CAEL, AACRAO partner on CPL support

CAEL and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) are partnering to integrate the complementary CPL resources they offer in support of adult learners and the institutions that enroll them. The collaboration covers the complete CPL continuum, from readiness and current state to policy development and portfolio creation to faculty review and credit assignment to transcripting and application of academic policy. Participating institutions receive a one-day site visit (virtual or in-person) with key constituents, followed by a collaborative workshop to navigate challenges, assign responsibilities, and create an implementation roadmap. For more information, contact Scott Campbell at scampbell@cael.org.

Participating community college systems announced for CAEL-RAND CPL initiative 

Following a review of applications from throughout the country, the community college systems of Alabama, Colorado, and North Carolina have been selected for participation in an evidence-based community of practice dedicated to enhancing CPL public policies. Nearly 100 institutions will be represented, with the systems enrolling approximately 900,000 students. Over the next two years, each participating community college system will receive a stipend and technical assistance, which will be provided by CAEL subject matter experts and tailored to the needs outlined in each system’s application to the community of practice. During the community of practice, project partner RAND will document and assess each team’s progress. It will use this insight to provide real-time, data-driven guidance and continual improvement to the community of practice and, ultimately, to develop a refined framework and rubric for scaling CPL policies in any state system. The initiative is made possible by funding from ECMC Foundation and Strada Education Foundation.

CAEL-College Unbound white paper highlights impact of work-based learning opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners

In January 2024, CAEL and College Unbound began collaborating to improve education and employment opportunities for learners impacted by the justice system. Their work focused on improving access to work-based learning and boosting the completion rates among those enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs. In February, the organizations released a white paper. The publication, available on CAEL's research page, details outcomes and how they support successful reentry.

CPL partnership between CAEL and Council for Professional Recognition aims at boosting early childhood education credential completion

CAEL and the Council for Professional Recognition are partnering to help colleges and universities accelerate and increase credential completion in early childhood education programs. Under the partnership, CAEL will develop individualized crosswalks for selected institutions linking the Council for Professional Recognition’s Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™ and its emerging credential, the Child Development Professional (CDP)™, to college-level learning outcomes. The Council for Professional Recognition advances career pathways for early childhood educators through high-quality, competency-based credentialing. Its partnership with CAEL strengthens the sector’s talent pipeline and removes barriers to career entry and advancement by ensuring that the expertise gained by early childhood professionals is formally recognized by academic institutions.

EPCE adds three Excelsior University programs to industry-sponsored credential lineup

The Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE) and Excelsior University have expanded the number of EPCE-sponsored online programs available through the university’s participation in the coalition. Three new pathways designed to bridge the gap between energy operations and cutting-edge technology are now available in computer science and cybersecurity: an A.A.S. in computer technologies, a B.S. in computer science, and a B.S. in cybersecurity. Enrollment in these programs is open year-round. EPCE, which is administered by CAEL, is the energy sector’s leading source of 100% online degrees and other credentials. Its members include education and training providers and more than 3,500 companies, representing more than two-thirds of the industry workforce across all 50 states. From microcredentials to advanced degrees, EPCE develops and sponsors industry-driven online education and training solutions for the energy sector’s rapidly evolving workforce development needs. Since its founding, more than 7,200 students have enrolled in more than 41,000 courses. More information about all EPCE online educational offerings is available at epceonline.org.

Professional Development

New Cohorts Start July 20!

Strengthen your institution's capacity with our upcoming instructor-led courses:

Registration is open for the next cohorts of CAEL’s professional development opportunities. Courses begin July 20 for the following online programs:

From the Ground Up: Building the Foundations of a CPL Program

Career and Education Advising

Assessing Prior Learning

The Workforce Ecosystem: Building Partnerships for Community Growth

The Data-Driven Approach to Recruiting Adult Learners

Member and group discounts apply to all courses.

In addition to the above instructor-led training, CAEL offers eight microcourses that are open to all members. Follow CAEL’s professional development and training page or sign up to receive future announcements.

Upcoming Webinar

A New Quality Signal: What HLC’s Short-Term Credential Endorsement Means for CPL and Partnerships: As short-term credentials continue to expand, institutions face increasing pressure to evaluate quality, manage risk, and scale credit for prior learning. The Higher Learning Commission’s new Short-Term Credential Provider Endorsement introduces a quality signal designed to bring greater transparency and clarity to this fragmented marketplace. In this session, experts will outline the endorsement framework, its purpose, and how providers are evaluated. We’ll explore what this means for institutions making decisions about CPL, transfer, and external partnerships—and how endorsed providers, including Sophia Learning as part of the inaugural cohort, can support more confident and scalable approaches to recognizing learning. Register here for this public webinar.

Membership updates

Inaugural co-chairs appointed to national communities of practice

Amy Pietrewicz and Dr. Seth Marc Kamen will co-chair CAEL’s Credit Mobility Community of Practice, while Dr. Monteigne Long and Emily Anthony will do so for the Military Community of Practice. The co-chair role was designed to offer members an opportunity to deepen their engagement with CAEL while guiding collective contribution to the growing body of knowledge and best practices in these focal areas. The appointments, which were effective March 1, are for two-year terms.

Communities of practice are open to all CAEL members at no cost to join. They include in-person and virtual convenings along with continuous networking at the CAEL Member Hub, fostering opportunities for members to connect with key partners throughout the talent development ecosystem. Members interested in joining should complete this interest form. Information on becoming a CAEL member is available at CAEL’s member home page.

University of Maryland Global Campus and Sophia Learning present at Military Community of Practice meeting

During the Military Community of Practice’s first meeting of 2026, the University of Maryland Global Campus, a CAEL institutional member, and Sophia Learning, also a partner of CAEL, presented findings from a joint data project tracking transfer outcomes among UMGC students with transfer courses from Sophia. According to the findings, UMGC students who completed Sophia courses completed their first term at a 17% higher rate and continued to their second term at a 31% higher rate. 

Making Workforce Pell More Workable

With the Workforce Pell launch date rapidly approaching, Midwest Urban Strategies joined CAEL for a March Coffee With CAEL, a members-only webinar series. The session brought together experts representing various niches of the talent development ecosystem, including workforce development boards, higher ed, and policy makers. They unpacked the specifics of the legislation, identified potential implementation gaps, and provided learner-centered guidance to help ensure members have the vital information, resources, and professional connections required to successfully navigate this historic opportunity. It was clear that panelists felt that Workforce Pell rises above another policy update and represents the opportunity for a “system design moment.” There was also strong agreement that bridging the gap between noncredit training and credit-bearing degrees is a pressing priority, another reminder that credit for prior learning remains an indispensable tool for uniting educators, trainers, and employers.

Recent member events also covered:

• The 2026 Farm Bill and its implications for SNAP Employment and Training and postsecondary success.
• Building effective credit crosswalks for adult learner mobility.
• Strengthening bridges between higher ed and workforce boards.
• Leveraging open educational resources to scale adult learner success.
• Maximizing member benefits.

Replays and presentation materials are available on CAEL’s Member Hub. 

Annual Member Appreciation Month is just around the corner!

Member appreciation is a year-round activity at CAEL, but what’s the harm in dedicating a whole month to it? Once again, June will mark Member Appreciation Month. Stay tuned for four weeks of award presentations, special networking opportunities, webinars, and more! Details will be emailed soon and posted on the Member Hub.

Welcome new members!

CAEL is honored by the addition of our latest organizational memberships, which include the following:

Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Highline College

Illinois Valley Community College

Virginia Commonwealth University

Wiley University

Zemantics LLC