WASHINGTON, April 23, 2024 — The Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) today unveiled its latest initiative, the Center for Skills by C-BEN (CFS x C-BEN), bolstered by a $1.5 million grant from Walmart. This new center aims to transform the theoretical benefits of a skills-based economy into tangible practices by developing reliable methods to assess and validate skills, thus facilitating smoother transitions between education and employment.
Bridging the Gap Between Education and Workforce
As skills-based hiring gains momentum across the United States, CFS x C-BEN seeks to address the practical challenges that have hindered its widespread adoption. Despite growing interest from employers and several states opting to emphasize skills over degrees in hiring practices, effective implementation remains elusive. According to a report by UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute, real-world application of these strategies has been minimal.
“For too long, the promise of skills-based hiring has been out of reach — in many cases, because of the difficulty of validating and translating skills between individuals, education and training providers, and employers,” said Charla Long, president of C-BEN. “CFS x C-BEN is about creating the infrastructure and consensus necessary to finally realize the potential of relying on skills, in ways that can unlock economic mobility for millions of workers and learners who have been overlooked by traditional hiring practices.”
Initiatives and Collaborations
The Center for Skills plans to collaborate with industry leaders to forge a unified approach to skills verification and innovation. This includes developing new assessment practices and creating state blueprints for skills validation models in partnership with the National Governors Association. These efforts are designed to alleviate worker shortages and enhance career mobility.
“Businesses and states across the country have indicated their readiness to join the skills-based movement and realize its associated opportunities,” said Patti Constantakis, Director of Corporate Philanthropy at Walmart.org. “Achieving this potential requires quality assessments to accurately capture and share people’s unique skills and experiences. The work of CFS x C-BEN will play a critical leadership role in accelerating the shift to a skills-based economy.”
The work builds upon C-BEN’s initiatives focused on skills-based talent development, including in Illinois, which has used performance-based assessments to allow early childhood educators to demonstrate and recognize their knowledge and skills creating onramps and pathways to new roles. The Alabama Talent Triad, another initiative supported by C-BEN, has provided Learning and Employer Records (LERs) to more than 19,000 people, creating a seamless link between job-seekers, employers, and education and training providers.
“The launch of the new Center for Skills by C-BEN is extremely well timed to support exciting bi-partisan efforts focused on skills-based strategies across the country,” said Amanda Winters, Program Director for the National Governors Association. “At a time when governors are seeking innovative strategies to close talent gaps and create new pathways to economic mobility, CFS x C-BEN represents a critical effort to reimagine the role of assessment in building a stronger and more inclusive skills-focused economy.”
About the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN)
The Competency-Based Education Network is a pioneering organization focused on redefining educational and professional achievement by emphasizing competencies over traditional learning metrics. Established over a decade ago, C-BEN advocates for competency-based education models that assess individuals on their practical abilities and skills, supporting a diverse network of stakeholders in education, business, and policy to implement these practices effectively.
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