Credential Engine, in partnership with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), has been awarded a grant from the GitLab Foundation’s AI for Economic Opportunity Fund. This funding supports efforts to expand economic mobility through innovative technology.

The AI for Economic Opportunity Fund builds towards the Foundation’s vision of a world where one million more people can afford a better life. The fund provides frontline organizations with resources to explore cutting-edge technologies, improve productivity, and ultimately unlock more than $1 billion in new income for low-income people.

With this grant, AI-powered tools will be key in exploring and improving the scalability of converting a person’s course completions into valuable skills profiles, helping millions of people who did not complete degrees access better job opportunities. 

Additionally, support from GitLab will expand Credential Engine’s OPEN initiative, which collects open datasets from authoritative sources to publish to the Credential Registry as linked open data in CTDL. Sources include publicly available state and national datasets, including from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which will provide CTDL data coverage for higher education institutions across the U.S. This work will vastly improve the transparency and accessibility of credential and skills data, empowering individuals, agencies, institutions, employers, and policymakers.

Stay Tuned for Credential Engine’s Solutions Spotlight Webinar Series! Discover how CTDL-powered tools transform credential and skill transparency and support workforce needs. This series will highlight innovative platforms that leverage the CTDL and how our partners use CTDL-linked open data to improve decision-making in education and employment. Each session will feature a Credential Engine partner demonstrating their innovative platforms and sharing insights into how CTDL-powered solutions create more connected credentialing ecosystems. 

Stay tuned for upcoming registration and speaker announcements so you don’t miss this opportunity to explore cutting-edge tools that empower learners, employers, and policymakers alike! View our webinar webpage to keep updated on upcoming webinars, registration information, and previous recordings. 
 

Celebrating Ken Sauer’s Impact on Education and Workforce Development: After decades of dedication to higher education and workforce development, Ken Sauer is retiring from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, leaving behind an incredible legacy. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping policies that strengthen Indiana’s education-to-employment pathways, ensuring all Hoosiers have access to the credentials and opportunities they need to succeed. Ken has played a pivotal role in increasing transparency in credentials and the education and workforce landscape, helping Indiana become the first state to join Credential Engine. His vision and commitment have driven significant progress in making credential data more accessible and meaningful for students, workers, and employers—not just in Indiana, but across the country.
 

Open Skills Network (OSN) Announces Transition of OSMT and RSDs to Credential Engine: Credential Engine is collaborating with Western Governors University (WGU), which leads the Open Skills Network (OSN), to transition the Open Skills Management Tool (OSMT) and the Rich Skill Descriptors (RSD) specification to Credential Engine. OSMT is an open-source platform that helps organizations create, manage, and share RSD  libraries. Combining the strengths of OSMT, RSDs, and Credential Engine has the potential to accelerate the shift towards skills-based education and hiring, empowering learners and workers to use their skills as currency in the modern talent economy. Learn more about this here.

Testimony Supports State Legislation: Credential Engine recently submitted testimony to Kansas State’s House Committee on K-12 Education Budget Proponent in support of 25RS0630 – a bill that will strengthen Kansas’s workforce and economy by expanding and enhancing credential transparency. This testimony urges policymakers to support credential transparency and explores the value it can have for all learners and workers in Kansas. At a time when individuals and employers are navigating critical decisions about upskilling, reskilling, and hiring, transparency is more important than ever.

Credential Engine urges policymakers nationwide to integrate credential and skill transparency into legislation and stands ready to provide testimony in support of these efforts. Contact us at [email protected]. 

Montana to Launch Statewide Credential and Skills Registry: Credential Engine is proud to partner with Accelerate Montana to support the launch of a statewide Credential and Skills Registry, bringing greater transparency and alignment between education and workforce needs. This initiative is a major step toward building a more connected, skills-driven economy in Montana, making educational pathways and workforce opportunities more accessible and easier to navigate. By creating a centralized platform that connects educational credentials, skills, and career pathways, the registry will power tools to support students, workers, and employers alike. We’re thrilled to support the state in leveraging credential transparency to drive opportunity and growth, and we look forward to seeing how this initiative will transform the workforce landscape in Montana. Learn more here.