Governance
Definition: Federal, state, and local governments as well as other organizations that develop and implement policies and frameworks around education and workforce across institutions that support credentialing and workforce alignment and promote advancement for their constituencies; non-governmental entities overseeing accreditation; communities, consortia and networks that work to align LER workstreams
Examples: Boards, ministries, and departments of education and labor; legislators, accreditation bodies, issuer registries, regulating organizations.
Roles and Workstreams
Developing
- Identify and engage with state and federal government agencies that implement relevant policies expanding capability of state systems to gather and link employment, credential, and skills related data
- Convene stakeholder groups to align on goals and work streams and lead discussions around the formation of trust across with and across networks
- Develop and implement comprehensive frameworks and policies that promote the effective use of LERs in ways that unlock opportunities for learners and earners
Issuing
- Work with education providers and issuers on developing qualifications frameworks
- Explore policy-maker role in supporting verification processes and adding layers of trust in credential content and quality
Using
- Support infrastructure development to ensure high-quality solutions are accessible and appropriate to all stakeholders
- Leverage consortia, communities, and networks in the public promotion of LERs as a solution to workforce and education challenges
Adopting
- Champion data-driven insights on impact and outcomes and incentivize adoption across the workforce
- Track credential exchange and transfers leveraging this information to develop or improve policies
Action Areas
There are key action areas that we believe LER ecosystem stakeholders should focus on to make significant progress towards adoption in service of equity and opportunity. All action areas rely on the participation of stakeholders in pilots, research and advocacy initiatives.
Promoting Adoption
Identify the advantages of using LERs, as compared to current practices, towards stakeholder goals and agendas. Define metrics for success and develop data driven value propositions.
- Develop sustainable business and governance models that establish clear roles for leading and implementing policies that center equity and economic opportunity
- Support state systems in the process of linking employment, credentials, and skills data
- Advocate for change towards skills-based hiring and adoption of equitable solutions
- Address data infrastructure policy: integrity, ownership, transparency, protection and privacy
Building Employer Demand
Scale LER issuing and increase employer demand and capacity by supporting integration with existing systems and demonstrating usability and value.
- Ensure state systems can link employment, credentials and skills data and connect protocols and set up policies that center equity and economic opportunity.
- Champion data-based insights on success and incentivize adoption across the workforce
- Address data infrastructure policy: integrity, ownership, protection and privacy
Gathering Data on Impact
How do we know LERs are effective in unlocking opportunities for learners and streamlining processes for employers and educators? Stakeholders across the ecosystem must collect empirical data that confirms value statements about LERs and identifies areas for improvement in work streams.
- Track credential exchange across networks and communities, using insights to inform the development of policies and framework that govern LERs
“Governance is the method that we use to make meaningful signal out of noise. TLN brings together our governing body to propose policies that will govern how learners, issuers and service providers will interact with our network, establishing quality, predictability and plain-language explanations that describe what we’re doing to enable verifiable credentialing.”— Kate Giovacchini, Executive Director, Trusted Learner Network and ASU Pocket
Business Case
Economic incentives - investment in LERs leading to more effective matching of people to meaningful and last careers
Data collection - access to accurate information on effective career pathways for the community
Social Case
Increased transparency and quality assurance - community is effective leveraging resources towards credentials that match the shortages in the labor market
Addressing inequity with real solutions - LERs empower all constituents to access higher paying jobs and lifelong learning opportunities that they may have been unaware of or unable to access previously
