View this email in your browser ([link removed])


**
Transparency
Credential Engine develops its data standards through open, inclusive, and transparent processes
------------------------------------------------------------
January 23rd, 2025

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first 2025 edition of Transparency, Credential Engine’s monthly newsletter. We are eager to embark on another productive and successful year advancing credential transparency. There is so much to look forward to, and we can’t wait to share helpful resources, updates, and exciting developments with you in the coming months.
Credential Finder Numbers ([link removed]) : 92,617 Credentials, 4,318 Organizations, 33,454 Learning/Training Opportunities, 9,445 Competency Frameworks, 150,371 Competencies, 19,775 Transfer Values, and more! We encourage readers to explore the Credential Finder and learn more about the data in the Credential Registry.
Jump ahead:

> Spotlight (#Spotlight)
> U (#Policy) pdates (#Updates)
> Partnerships (#State)
> Technology (#Technology)
> News (#News)


** Spotlight.
------------------------------------------------------------

As we enter 2025, Credential Engine remains committed to advancing its mission of increasing transparency and interoperability within the credentialing ecosystem. Through these projects, we will continue to contribute to the learn and work ecosystem, fostering collaboration and innovation:
* Solution Spotlight Webinars: An upcoming webinar series to inform our audiences on what CTDL-linked open data can do for you.
* CTDL xTRA: A prototype AI-powered web application designed to extract and transform course catalog data into CTDL for scalable publishing in the Credential Registry.
* Global Focus: Credential Engine will continue to engage our global partners and work with organizations like GDN, UNESCO, Velocity, and others to expand our work of transparency and learner mobility.
* Learning and Employment Records (LERs): New resources to support purposeful and intentional steps to LER adoption and functional interoperability for all stakeholders, including partner case studies.
* Open Data Principles & Framework: A new paper to show how available and accessible data benefits all stakeholders in education-to-employment (E2E) ecosystems.
* Issuer Registries: A partnership with the MIT Digital Credentials Consortium researching, defining, and prototyping issuer registries, stored lists of data that verify the identity of an issuer of a credential.
* Counting Credentials: Stay tuned for the next iteration of our widely cited Counting Credentials report, including exciting new insights, coming out late in 2025!

These efforts will focus on expanding the reach and impact of linked open data, fostering stronger partnerships with stakeholders, and ensuring that learners, employers, and educators have the tools needed to navigate the evolving credential landscape. By addressing current challenges and anticipating future needs, these projects will continue to build an equitable and accessible foundation for credential and skill information.

Keep an eye out for more projects from Credential Engine!


** Updates.
------------------------------------------------------------

Join Us for a Webinar on Education & Employment Outcomes Metrics: On January 28, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET, Credential Engine will explore advancements in making education and employment outcomes metrics transparent and accessible. Through enhancements to the Credential Registry publishing system, the Credential Registry now supports more types of education and employment outcomes metrics, making it easier to publish, access, and use these valuable data sets. Education and employment outcomes metrics offer essential insights, including graduation rates, employment outcomes, and earnings. They promote transparency for programs, credentials, and pathways while supporting informed decision-making for learners, employers, educators, and policymakers.

Designed for professionals in education, workforce development, and policymaking, the webinar ([link removed]) will provide practical guidance for publishing metrics, ensuring transparency, and supporting data-driven decision-making. Registration is available here. ([link removed])

GDN Conversation Series - Understanding Credential and Skill Transparency and Interoperability with Credential Engine: Credential Engine and the Groningen Declaration Network (GDN) have partnered to host a webinar series ([link removed]) on enhancing the understanding of credential transparency and interoperability. This collaboration leverages Credential Engine's expertise in credential data and GDN's global network to advance learner mobility and support informed decision-making. The first of this webinar series is on January 29th, 2024, at 9:00 am ET, and will delve into the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and its role in promoting transparency and interoperability. This session is particularly valuable for business and academic leaders involved in learner mobility work, course developers, registrars, and their teams. To register for the first of the webinar series, click here
([link removed]) .

Credential Engine 2025-2027 Strategic Plan: Credential Engine has recently released its new strategic plan ([link removed]) , reinforcing our mission to improve transparency and empower individuals with clear information about credentials, qualifications, and skills. This plan aligns with Credential Engine’s commitment to advancing the accessibility, use, and value of credential data, supporting stakeholders such as learners, employers, educators, and policymakers. Through strategic initiatives and technological developments, Credential Engine is dedicated to creating a more transparent credential and skill landscape, helping to drive informed decision-making and strengthen educational and workforce outcomes.

Join the Credential Engine team: Credential Engine is seeking a Software Solutions Engineer ([link removed]) , who will be responsible for designing, developing, testing, and deploying software solutions. This includes creating APIs and distributed systems, setting up continuous development gates, and integrating technologies. This role will work with a distributed team, engaging with stakeholders and customers to ensure high-quality, secure, and scalable solutions. Learn more about this opportunity here ([link removed]) . Priority will be given to applications submitted by January 31, 2025.


** Partnerships.
------------------------------------------------------------
Insight into Texas and Credential Engine Partnership: Texas and Credential Engine have partnered to enhance credential transparency across the state. This collaboration focuses on improving access to clear and actionable information about credentials and skills, helping Texans make informed decisions about their education and career pathways. By working together, Texas and Credential Engine aim to create a more transparent system that benefits learners, employers, and educators alike. For a deeper look into the significance of this work, read the full blog here ([link removed]) .

We invite all states to partner with Credential Engine and start your credential transparency journey. Credential and skill transparency supports workforce and economic development, promotion of education and training opportunities, informed policymaking, facilitation of inter- and cross-state mobility, and more.

New Funding Opportunity Focuses on Opportunities for Success, Jobs Skills, and Pathways: Credential Engine has announced a new funding opportunity, supported by a two-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to enhance education and employment information as linked open data in the Credential Registry. This initiative focuses on publishing data related to opportunities for success, job skills, and pathways, promoting informed decision-making for learners and workers. We invite organizations to submit proposals ([link removed]) .

Together, we can improve credential and skill transparency and create better pathways for education and employment success. Learn more about this opportunity here ([link removed]) .

Forsyth Tech Makes Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Available in the Credential Registry: Led by Forsyth Technical and Community College, a consortium of 8 community colleges across the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina have made credentials and competencies available as linked open data to strengthen the advanced manufacturing sector, as part of its Aligning the Workforce Education System for Manufacturing (AWESM) project. AWESM was supported by grant funding from  the Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges program, which aims to address the skill development needs of employers in the development of credentialed training programs to support workers in gaining skills.
Forsyth Tech has completed publishing ([link removed]) its advanced manufacturing credentials and open badges, along with rich data on the courses and course-level competencies. By making all of this information available as linked open data, they used Credential Engine’s Pathway Builder ([link removed]) tool to show how these components are connected.

Credential Engine Staff Member Joins Velocity Network Foundation Board: Credential Engine is proud to announce that Deb Everhart has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Velocity Network Foundation. She replaces Scott Cheney, Credential Engine CEO, on the board. Velocity, a nonprofit organization, provides the governance framework for the Velocity Network, a public, open, self-sovereign trust framework aimed at improving the global labor market's data infrastructure. Credential Engine’s continuation on the board reflects Velocity's commitment to credential transparency. Learn more here ([link removed]) .


** Technology & Support.
------------------------------------------------------------

Advancing Credential Transparency with CTDL xTRA in 2025: Credential Engine invites organizations to participate in a pilot program testing our AI-powered web application, CTDL xTRA, designed to extract and transform course catalog data into CTDL data for scalable publishing in the Credential Registry. Running from approximately February to May 2025, the pilot will leverage this innovative tool, developed with our partner Learning Tapestry, to streamline course catalog publishing. The application will expand to include programs, competencies, and credentials. Participants will play a key role in refining this groundbreaking solution, requiring just a few hours of engagement over the pilot period.
If you're interested in shaping the future of scalable course data publishing, we encourage you to join. Contact Rachel Vilsack, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) for more details.


U.S. Department of Labor O*NET Occupations Now Published in the Credential Registry: O*NET occupations are now published in the Credential Registry, marking a significant enhancement to the Credential Registry’s collection of structured, machine-readable workforce data. While O*NET competency frameworks and the use of Standard Occupation Codes (SOC) have already been available in the Credential Registry, the addition of occupations represents a major step forward in expanding access to standardized workforce information.

CTDL JSON-LD files are programmatically output as O*NET updates are made, and these files are ingested by the Credential Registry, ensuring that users have access to the most current data. These CTDL files are also available through the O*NET files ([link removed]) and machine-readable data ([link removed]) pages, offering additional access points for developers and organizations.

The Credential Registry has long supported Standard Occupation Codes (SOC), often referred to as O*NET codes, across multiple CTDL classes such as Credentials and Learning Programs, to ensure seamless integration of occupational data across various use cases.

Users can explore both O*NET occupations ([link removed]) and competency frameworks ([link removed](s)&keywords=ce-00efc2bd-d322-4242-a7fd-4a9783d99e54&filterparameters=%7B%22n%22:%22organizationroles%22,%22aid%22:686,%22rid%22:[6,7]%7D) through the Credential Finder or for organizations with Credential Registry data consumption approval, can directly query ([link removed]) or download ([link removed]) the data from the Registry.

Looking ahead, 2025 will bring further collaboration with the O*NET team to include Occupation Tasks as CTDL JSON-LD files, continuing to enhance the availability and usability of workforce data.


** News.
------------------------------------------------------------
1. Selecting the OpenID Federation specification for the DCC and Credential Engine Issuer Registry Project - Digital Credentials Consortium ([link removed])
2. The skinny on digital portfolios - Community College Daily ([link removed])

============================================================
Follow us on:
** Twitter ([link removed])
** LinkedIn ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
Copyright © 2025 Credential Engine, All rights reserved.

Questions? Email ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.

Was this email forwarded to you? ** Sign up here ([link removed])
to receive your own copy.