Learning and Employment Records

Progress and the path forward

A white paper from the American Workforce Policy

Advisory Board Digital Infrastructure Working Group

September 2020
 Table of contents
1 Contributors
3 Background
3 The Learning and Employment Record
3 Now more than ever: The LER imperative
5 Key qualities for LERs
6 A shared language of skills
7 A supporting ecosystem
8 The AWPAB Digital Infrastructure Working Group
9 Building and testing the LER ecosystem

10 IBM–Tracking the learner’s journey from school to a job in cybersecurity

12 Walmart–Showcasing retail workers’ skills to unlock opportunities

14 Salesforce–Creating a trusted skills network for accelerated healthcare hiring and onboarding
16 T3 Innovation Network–LER Resource Hub and Pilots Directory
17 LER pilot outcomes
17 Successes
17 Challenges
18 The path forward
18 LER governance
18 Recommendation 1: Create a loosely federated governance structure for LERs
19 Role of government in LERs
19 Recommendation 2: Educate businesses and the public about LERs
19 Recommendation 3: Support core infrastructure investments for LERs
20 Recommendation 4: Establish LER coordinating structures within government
20 Recommendation 5: Adopt skills-based hiring practices
22 Recommendation 6: Modernize regulations to benefit from LERs
23 Conclusion

2 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Contributors The principal contributors to this report are:

Members of the American Workforce Policy Advi- • Marni Baker-Stein, Provost and Chief Academic
sory Board’s (AWPAB) Digital Infrastructure Work- Officer, Western Governors University
ing Group authored this white paper, with major • Savi Barrowes, Vice President, Workforce
contributions by subject matter experts from their Platforms, Dignity Health Global Education
organizations, as well as outside experts. Institu- • Ellie Bertani, Senior Director, Learning Strategy
tional affiliations listed below are for identification & Innovation, Walmart
purposes only and do not necessarily indicate • Adam Caplan, Senior Vice President,
endorsement by any organization. Digital Skills
• Alana Dunagan, Director, Higher Education &
Digital Infrastructure Working Group Workforce Policy, Western Governors University
• Rodolfo Ergueta, Senior Director, Product
• Eric Holcomb, Governor, Indiana (Co-chair) Management
• Scott Pulsipher, President, Western Governors • Matt Gee, President, BrightHive
University (Co-chair) • Darin Hobbs, Director, Academic Records and
• Jay Box, President, Kentucky Community and Credentials, Western Governors University
Technical College System • Alex Kaplan, Global Leader, Blockchain and
• Tom Donohue, CEO, U.S. Chamber of AI for Industry Credentials, IBM Talent and
Commerce Transformation
• Doug McMillon, President & CEO, Walmart • Phil Komarny, Vice President of Innovation,
• Michael Piwowar, Executive Director, Salesforce
Milken Institute • David Langdon, Senior Policy Advisor, U.S.
• Sebastian Thrun, Founder, President, and Department of Commerce
Executive Chairman, Udacity • Phillip D. Long, T3 Innovation Network
• Scott Sanders, Executive Director, National Community Manager, RHz Consulting LLC
Association of State Workforce Agencies • Andrew Malley, CEO, Dignity Health Global
• Jay Timmons, President & CEO, National Education
Association of Manufacturers • Jessica R. Nicholson, Senior Economist,
• Marianne Wanamaker, Professor, University Bureau of Economic Analysis (White Paper
of Tennessee Coordinator)
• Kacey Thorne, Director, Skills Architecture,
Western Governors University
• Wesley Smith, Senior Vice President, Policy
and Public Affairs, Western Governors
University
• Jason A. Tyszko, Vice President, Center for
Education and Workforce, U.S. Chamber of
Commerce Foundation

1 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Individuals providing support, review, Office of Governor Eric Holcomb, State of Indiana
and/or comments include: • Patrick McGrew, Executive Director, Governor’s
Workforce Cabinet
Central New Mexico Community College
• Bill Halverson, Senior Technology Advisor Western Governors University
• Brent Capriotti, Senior Skills Architect
IBM • Stirling Hale, Staff Engineer
• Tiffany Chen, LCN Chief Architect • Brad Massine, Business Transformation
• Richard Goldgar, LCN Product Owner Project Manager
• John Kirby, Project Manager • Devon Sumner, Staff Engineer
• Mei Ling Liew, Associate Partner, Blockchain
Services The White House
• Liz Horning, Special Assistant to the President
iQ4 and Policy Advisor
• Frank Cicio, Chief Executive Officer & Founder
• John Conway, Senior UX and Product Designer U.S. Department of Education
• Kyle Hamilton, Chief Innovation & Data Officer • Sharon Leu, Senior Policy Advisor, Higher
• Des McDonnell, Vice President, Front-end Education Innovation
Engineering • Casey Sacks, Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Community Colleges
National Student Clearinghouse
• Krupa Adhia, Product Management Business IBM Design and Production
Analyst • Ken High, Visual Designer
• Colin Hutchison, Product Manager • Rodica Simon, Visual Designer
• Lan Qian, Solution Architect
• Lori Rocker, Senior Project Manager

2 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Background The Learning and Employment Record
LER technology surfaces the data around earner
In September 2019, the American Workforce and learner experience and capabilities that are
Policy Advisory Board (AWPAB) Digital Infra- necessary to enable and accelerate each of the
structure Working Group1 (Working Group) strategies recommended by AWPAB. LER technol-
published a white paper on Learning and Employ- ogy also lays the groundwork for the development
ment Records2,3 (LERs). An LER is a system that of a broad ecosystem of applications and service
contains verifiable information about a person’s solutions designed to better guide earners and
achievements spanning an inclusive range of con- learners to their next educational opportunity or
texts, whether education or training processes, work experience, and to help employers identify
formal or informal, classroom-based or work- ready talent when and where they need it.
place-based. LERs can seamlessly record, verify,
transmit, and interpret information about learning Now more than ever: The LER imperative
achievements between learning institutions, busi- Rapid digital transformation is changing the way
nesses, and individuals. we learn, work, participate in society, and lead
our everyday lives. Although these changes are
Now more than ever, as the U.S. labor market faces disruptive to traditional notions of employment
unprecedented challenges in light of the COVID-19 readiness—and the nature and location of work
pandemic, American workers deserve to own a itself—the future of work supported by a robust
dynamic and lifelong record of their learning and digital infrastructure can create a more equitable,
work experiences and achievements that can be prosperous society for all.
instantly verified and shared directly and easily
with educational institutions and employers. LER technology enables us to dynamically
respond to the labor market challenges of our
The need for individuals to better signal their current moment by providing a foundation upon
authenticated achievements is age-old, but which we can build infrastructures, systems and
addressing this issue has rising possibility, gravity, services that support a future in which individ-
and urgency in an age of digital transformation. uals are empowered to pursue lifelong learning
This capability is one of the fundamental labor and career advancement, to demonstrate their
market issues President Trump set out to address capabilities on a level playing field, and support
in the July 17, 2018 Executive Order 13845, employers in finding and investing in talent. The
establishing the National Council for the Ameri- LER gives individuals ownership of a verified and
can Worker (NCAW). He charged this interagency detailed record of their skills and achievements,
council with drafting the first-ever national work- and transparently surfaces those skills to current
force strategy, which includes increasing data and prospective employers and educational insti-
transparency to support informed decision-mak- tutions—all while preserving an individual’s right
American workers ing among American students and workers. to own and control that data.
deserve to own a Through this Executive Order, President Trump
dynamic and lifelong also established the AWPAB. This 25-member
record of their learning federal advisory council developed actionable
and work experiences strategies for the NCAW under four focus areas,
and achievements. each with a corresponding working group:

1. Develop a public campaign to promote multi-

ple pathways to career success
2. Increase data transparency to better match
American workers with American jobs
3. Modernize candidate recruitment and training
practices
4. Measure and encourage employer-led training
investments

3 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Technical capabilities to enable LERs are emerg- • Individuals will have ownership and control
ing, and this white paper will discuss a series of their records, as well as portability of their
of pilots that demonstrate the feasibility of LER achievements, and will be able to curate and
technology. But investments are needed to create share their skills and capabilities in pursuit of
common standards and practices, and to drive economic mobility and opportunity.
widespread institutional and private sector adop-
tion in order to better match American workers • Employers will benefit from clear and transpar-
with American jobs at scale and across sectors. ent signals of job-readiness and trusted and ver-
ified granular information about the skills profile
Unlike traditional records such as resumes, certif- of their workforce and of job seekers, and the
icates, transcripts, and diplomas, LERs are a se- ability to move into a new paradigm of human
cure and detailed record of verified achievements potential management by driving upskilling and
that can easily transfer from one job or learning reskilling investments for their employees that
experience to another. are responsive to the changing nature of work
and careers.
LERs include data on discrete achievements from
specific education institutions and employers, • Labor markets will, for the first time, be able
building a collective profile of achievement that to value work-based and academic learning as
represents the entirety of an individual’s experi- equivalent and interchangeable, broadening
ence from cradle to career. LERs can also pro- access for millions who face barriers on the
LERs are a secure vide deeper insight to the specific skills that are traditional pathway to opportunity.
and detailed record represented by a degree or certification and how
of verified achieve- those skills align to career pathways. Developing • Our workforce will be able to reskill and upskill
ments that can easily and adopting LER technology will create critical with a fluidity that matches the dynamic change
transfer from one job benefits for individuals and employers and will our economy is undergoing, driving resilience,
or learning experience improve the fairness of our labor markets and the human flourishing, and national competitiveness.
to another. competitiveness of our workforce:
• Our economy will be strengthened through
a better educated workforce that is better
matched to opportunities, lowering unemploy-
ment rates and making companies more com-
petitive in the global marketplace.

4 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Key qualities for LERs and verifiable, so that information can be trusted.
There are several key qualities that a national sys- Individuals must be assured that their personal
tem of LERs must meet in order to enable open, information is secure and private until they wish to
skills-based dialogue between learners, academic share it. LERs should be accessible and shareable
institutions, and employers. Table 1 displays from anywhere and on any device.
and explains these key qualities. In short, to be
effective at improving labor market outcomes, The technology to enable these conditions exists,
LER data must be interoperable so that informa- and stakeholders are collaborating to further
tion can be easily exchanged and understood, enhance interoperability.4

Table 1. Key qualities for Learning and Employment Records

Criteria Description

Transparent Clearly defined, enables comparison, and is based on shared open

standards, common language/descriptions, and skills ontologies/
frameworks. Provides contextual information for determining relevance
and skills mastered.

Relevant Carries meaning and value applicable to useful purposes, including

employment, career advancement, and ongoing learning. Enables
endorsement by recognized experts and authorities for specific purposes.
Remains up to date.

Equitable Enables educational, social, and economic mobility for people with varying
abilities, preparation, and skills. Supports pathways to better employment
opportunities and to further education and training.

Private Access to selected fields of the LER is limited to the parties, purposes, and
duration specified by the learner. Complies with relevant privacy standards
and permissions to protect the individual’s identity and record.

Secure Complies with relevant security standards to protect the data from
unauthorized editing or access.

Portable Can be used in a variety of environments, across sectors and states,

connecting to multiple purposes and opportunities in employment,
education, and other contexts. Allows the individual to control the location,
organization, and combination of their own records for their own uses.

Interoperable Uses open standards and common ontologies/frameworks to enable data

to be machine readable, exchangeable, and actionable across technology
systems and, when appropriate, on the Web. Supports combinations of
data from multiple sources. Enables human interoperability and can be
understood by people in different occupations and industries from diverse
backgrounds.

Shareable Enables learners to share their LERs when they apply for jobs or educational
opportunities. Learners reserve the right to grant appropriate permissions to
provide relevant access for the time duration specified by learners.

Verifiable Can be digitally confirmed by one or more issuers to be authentic and intact.
Supports expiration and revocation by the issuer. Provides information about
the provenance of the credential and the skills attained to earn the credential.

5 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 A shared language of skills
Putting the qualities of LERs into context Many stakeholders, including education institu-
tions, private firms, trade associations, profes-
“It is currently very challenging [for learners] sional associations, unions, state regulators and
to prove what we know and what we can do in the military each maintain their own frameworks
efficient, expedient, and equitable ways. Veri- and nomenclature for achievements. These
myriad frameworks are akin to a Tower of Babel:
fiable data about our learning and work histo-
we have many languages for describing achieve-
ries are in the hands of institutions, employers, ments, but no shared language that allows for
and third-party data aggregators. It’s hard to apples-to-apples comparison and meaningful
understand the many different processes for translation. In this context, skills have emerged as
a common vocabulary and an important currency
verification of different types of records. We
that add value to learning achievements, work
can list our history in our CVs and on sites like experience, and other credentials issued
LinkedIn, but in order for potential employers to an LER.
or educators to verify past experience, they
By moving towards a system where individuals
must contact the education, training, military,
and employers can understand the skills an
and/or employer organizations involved, or individual has by the credentials they hold, we en-
third parties who manage verifications. It is hance the power of the LER as an accelerator for
inconvenient and usually costs money to ask a skills-based hiring and education practices. LERs
illuminate how skills align to industry-specific
registrar to send an official transcript. If the
career pathways. This enables workers, employ-
educational institution is on break or closed ers and education institutions to understand how
permanently, it may be more challenging to a set of skills can translate into various career
get timely access to transcripts. Past employers pathways and to provide guidance on specific
steps to take to upskill or reskill. Skills included
may no longer be active or maintain records
as metadata on achievements linked to an LER
for employees who worked for them many will allow for transformational intelligence and
years ago. Third parties often charge signif- compassing capabilities, making skills-based
icant fees, and because they aggregate large pathways to opportunity clear, transparent, and
accessible for every individual.
bodies of data, they introduce additional data
breach, security, and privacy risks.”

– “Understanding Interoperability for Education

Blockchains,” U.S. Department of Education, Office
of Educational Technology’s Education Blockchain
Initiative, 2020.5

6 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 A supporting ecosystem adjacent or analogous careers suited to previously
At the center of an LER ecosystem is the learner: acquired skills. Figure 1 displays a conceptual
continuously upskilling or reskilling through LER ecosystem and shows how issuers, consum-
cycles of learning and achievement. Learners can ers, and users interact with each other.
collect credentials from multiple issuers (edu-
cational institutions, training providers, testing The issuers, learners, and consumers that come
centers, and employers) and can curate them together in an ecosystem represent overlapping
through an LER application or interface to under- interests and have common challenges. They
stand their own strengths and weaknesses as each also have unique requirements. All stake-
they progress on career pathways. Employers and holders need to understand how skills map to
education and training/testing providers are also career pathways. This understanding facilitates
key stakeholders in an ecosystem; they are both job matching based on current skills profiles and
issuers of credentials and consumers of the LERs allows both employers and individuals to identify
that learners curate. opportunities to close skills gaps with learning
experiences, thereby moving from a paradigm of
All stakeholders need to understand how skills human capital management and to a paradigm of
map to career pathways in order to provide guid- human potential management.
ance on closing skill gaps to pursue a career, or on

Figure 1. Learning and Employment Records ecosystem

Interoperable Learning Records

Employer Learner Education &

Training Providers

Consume to hire, reskill, Upskill and learn more Enroll and learn Consume to enroll
or upskill employees students

Issue credentials Share achievements Collect digital Issue credentials

to employees evidence of learning to learners

Use to verify Match achievements Search and compare Use to verify

credentials and skills to job skills credentials to job reqs credentials and skills

Get a job Achieve learning

outcomes

Occupation, job, and skill descriptions Credential and skill descriptions

Industry aligned career pathways

7 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 The Digital In March 2020, the AWPAB highlighted three
immediate and enduring priorities for expediting
Infrastructure the U.S. economic recovery:

Working Group 1. Expedite American workers’ return to employ-

ment and upward mobility by investing in career
pathways and implementing skills-based hiring
The AWPAB’s Digital Infrastructure Working Group practices;
identified LERs as a novel but technically feasible 2. Remove obstacles to the modernization of
technology to enable communication of an individ- American education and training to accelerate
ual’s record of verified credentials and experience reskilling and facilitate innovation in workforce
between employers and education and training development;
institutions, and to allow individuals to own that 3. Build the technological infrastructure necessary
record.6 In a September 2019 white paper, the for the future of work.
Working Group recommended three actions to
accelerate the development of the LER ecosystem The LER will drive progress across each of these
and the process of bringing LERs to widespread priorities, opening the door to a labor market that
use within the labor market. The three recommen- is better informed by local, regional and national
dations were: talent data and that is supported by an aligned,
dynamic, relevant education system. This tech-
1. Create an LER Inventory7; nology is how we enable the highly competitive
2. Convene an expert group of employers and workforce of the future, unleash and showcase the
education institutions who will develop a potential of every American worker, and transform
project plan for the piloting of LER prototypes; the world of education and training.  
3. Champion FastTrack Prototyping against
specific milestones. The work to develop a scaled and effective LER was
underway prior to the arrival of COVID-19 on our
The goal was to achieve these milestones as of shores, but the pandemic has enhanced the urgency
July 2020, and this goal has been met. The White of the task. COVID-19 is driving further disruption in
House, through AWPAB, has facilitated progress both the world of learning and the universe of work,
toward this goal by enabling collaboration be- creating a massive need for upskilling and reskilling,
The goal was to tween employers, academic institutions, technol- an unprecedented number of individuals looking
achieve these mile- ogy firms, and government partners. Collabora- for work, challenges for hiring employers, and both
stones as of July 2020, tion is essential to achieving the vision of the LER: exposing and exacerbating existing inequities in our
and this goal has been a future in which all elements of the labor market economy. The situation calls for a renewed commit-
met. The White House, can communicate fluently. ment across education, employers and government
through AWPAB, has to accelerate efforts to move toward a skills-based
facilitated progress Following the release of AWPAB’s three recom- future that can facilitate more equitable, efficient,
toward this goal by mendations to accelerate progress toward the and effective learning, job searching, and hiring.
enabling collaboration development of the LER ecosystem in September
between employers, 2019, stakeholders have been extremely active. To that end, members of the AWPAB and their
academic institutions, The September 2019 white paper catalyzed ma- partners have developed a series of pilot projects to
technology firms, and jor advances toward achieving the reality of identify and resolve barriers to communication be-
government partners. a functional LER ecosystem. tween academic institutions and employers. These
pilots demonstrate the technological feasibility of
the LER, as well as its potential to unlock value for
individuals and employers.

8 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Building and testing
the LER ecosystem
In early 2020, the White House hosted a second The T3 Innovation Network
meeting of LER stakeholders to facilitate a dis-
cussion on launching LER pilots and the progress The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a member of
achievable by September 2020. Walmart, Sales- the AWPAB and a partner in the LER work. The
force, and IBM each presented ideas for pilots at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation launched
this meeting and formed pilot teams to take on The T3 Innovation Network in 2018. The T3
the task of developing and testing LER capability. Network serves as an open innovation network
to support the digital transformation of the talent
At its most foundational level, the LER is rooted marketplace. It is composed of a diverse set of
in a series of agreed upon definitions and ways to stakeholders, including business, education and
organize information. The technology that houses workforce training providers, government agen-
that information must meet certain basic con- cies, the military, and a wide variety of technology
ditions, including giving learners ownership and vendors that serve them. Their goal is to work to-
access of their records, allowing records to be gether to build the enabling data and technology
verifiable, and assuring compliance with data and infrastructure to make (1) all learning count; (2)
security regulations. But the LER ecosystem is competencies and skills the currency of the labor
interoperable by design and can accommodate a market; and (3) to empower workers and learners
Currently, the LER diverse set of technology platforms and applica- with their data so that they may pursue continu-
ecosystem is testing tions that employers, institutions, and learners ing education and employment opportunities.
21 pilot initiatives. can use to record, view, share, and analyze data.
The T3 Network is composed of over 500 public
In addition to the three pilot teams that formed and private partners and is growing. Their work
in coordination with the fall 2019 White House is standards-based, use case driven, and vendor
meetings, the T3 Innovation Network, has devel- neutral. Per their goal, they divided the work up
oped a supporting LER Pilot Directory consisting into eight work groups, each tasked with building
of these and 18 additional pilots. These pilots a piece of the data infrastructure (e.g. enabling
represent the robust range of technology solu- and supporting digital identity on the open web).
tions at play, illustrate the depth the LER ecosys- Each of the projects that is supported under T3 is
tem has currently achieved, and foreshadow its highly relevant to enabling LERs. The T3 Network
potential for rich, consumer-friendly applications. is helping build and accelerate the shift toward
The T3 Network has further worked with all pilot an open, distributed, and decentralized data and
participants to guide appropriate standards that technology infrastructure for LERs globally.
assure interoperability between each of the
various approaches to skills data within each pilot
and to consider governance structures that will
enable and encourage innovation, entrepreneur-
ship and scale adoption.

Western Governors University (WGU) has sig-

nificantly contributed to each of the White
House-convened pilots and has provided inputs
to several of the T3 Network-registered pilots.
WGU is deeply invested in furthering the LER
ecosystem. WGU relies on its own ontology of
over 10,000 skills to power its competency-based
programs and learner-owned achievement wallet.

9 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 The LER pilots
Responding to the challenge of developing, proof- • Utilization of common data standards for
of-concept demonstrations of the LER, IBM, the representation and trustworthiness
Walmart and Salesforce each conceived of three of achievements
unique pilots. Where technological approach and • Portability and translation of achievements
software may differ, each pilot incorporates the across education and employers
following common themes: • Identification of industry aligned career path-
ways and associated talent gaps that may be
• Learner ownership and control of their LER addressed via the LER
achievements consistent with appropriate
privacy and security frameworks

Tracking the learner’s journey from

school to a job in cybersecurity

Background and opportunities for cybersecurity workers and

Cybersecurity is a growing and critical field in those who desire to enter the field. The pilot
which the demand for skilled workers continually translates information between academic institu-
outpaces supply. Efforts to boost the number of tions—Western Governors University (WGU) and
workers in the field have been ongoing since Pres- Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)—
ident George W. Bush established the Compre- to the IBM managed Learning Credential Network
hensive National Cybersecurity Initiative in 2008. blockchain. Learners are then able to access and
Still, it is reported that approximately 3.5 million share their data through the National Student
jobs in cybersecurity will go unfilled.8 Recognizing Clearinghouse’s (NSC) and iQ4’s Myhub wallet.
and understanding the capabilities of workers in With this wallet learners receive compassing and
cybersecurity is critical to our national security, to job counseling services that helps them under-
the security of corporate and consumer data, and stand the labor market value of their current and
to the advancement of workers in the field. potential skills for a cyber security career.

Because of the importance of cybersecurity Pilot overview

education, the National Institute for Cybersecuri- The IBM pilot is focused on validating the tech-
ty Education (NICE) was founded within the U.S. nical and use case assumptions for LERs using
Department of Commerce in 2010. NICE initially a career in the cybersecurity as an LER test use
developed a cybersecurity skills ontology in 2011, case for an industry aligned career pathway. The
called the NICE Framework, and has updated pilot also demonstrates end-to-end functionality
this ontology as the field has developed.9 The for managing credentials and careers in a permis-
NICE Framework represents a set of agreed-upon sioned manner for learners and job candidates,
terms—a language—to describe skills in the field and interoperability of skills-based data between
of cybersecurity. different organizations.

Goal The pilot leverages three specific technologies

The IBM pilot’s primary objective is to demon- to enable users to navigate the cyber security
strate how blockchain, artificial intelligence, and skill pathway.
data analytics can employ the language of skills—
using the NICE Framework—to advance outcomes

10 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 The first is the Learning Credential Network (LCN) security career, and then uses those achievements
a blockchain-based platform designed to support to point them towards education and job opportuni-
a wide range of trusted and verified skill-based ties that leverage their skills.
credentials. The LCN allows an individual to main-
tain a verified, private record of all their achieve- The third is the Myhub wallet from the NSC that
ments from their cradle to career journey, allows provides a single point of integration and control
them to easily and securely communicate that for all credentials academic and co-curricular &
skills information to prospective employers, and non-academic whether they exist on the LCN or not.
provides them full “self-sovereign” control on who
can see and use their skills-based information. The pilot shows how the educational partners, WGU
and CNM, create student data for, and map that
The second are compassing tools from iQ4 that data to, course/credential offerings using the NICE
helps learners understand the value of their Framework, and issue the student credentials that
achievements in the marketplace for a cyber correspond to specific cybersecurity skills.

Meet Izzy
Izzy always understood how important education was to her future success and worked hard in
school to make sure she was career ready. She participated in a STEM program in high school in
which she learned basic programming and statistics, which helped her land an internship at the New
Mexico Department of Health. After graduation The Department of Health offered her an entry level
data analyst job. Initially, Izzy was thrilled to have a job right out of high school, but after two years,
she feels like she has gained all she can from her current role.

1. Using a Myhub career pathways recommendation, a cybersecurity job listing catches her eye.
After researching more, she is convinced she has found job opportunities and course recommen-
dations that will accommodate her personal goals, such as working from home and having ample
job opportunities, and more importantly, will allow her to use her skills to directly impact and help
others. Excited about her new choice, Izzy discovers that Western Governors University offers a full
cybersecurity curriculum online.

2. She looks over WGU’s website and locates a career pathways guidance tool called Myhub from the
National Student Clearinghouse and iQ4. Izzy discovers that the National Student Clearinghouse is the
primary organization for managing learning credentials and that it complies with all federal and state
regulations around her personal data, so she feels confident she can trust it. Myhub has multiple capa-
bilities that are valuable to Izzy. She particularly enjoys the ability to decide who gets to see her informa-
tion, and to let potential employers know the experience she has and that she is looking for a job.

3. Using the Myhub Career Pathways for Cybersecurity tool, an iQ4 workforce and mobility platform,
Izzy learns what skills from the NICE Framework are required for a career in cybersecurity. She is
thrilled to learn the WGU classes are aligned to the NICE framework and decides to apply for enroll-
ment. She is accepted at WGU and begins taking cybersecurity courses. As she progresses through
her coursework, her achievements are synced with Myhub. Izzy decides to make her credentials
anonymously available for all employers to view in the Learning Credential Network (LCN).

4. IBM searches the LCN for someone with Izzy’s skills and gets a list of potential candidates, includ-
ing Izzy, as an anonymous candidate. IBM requests that Izzy apply for a role in Boulder, CO. Izzy is
thrilled at this life-changing opportunity and after an impressive interview is hired by IBM to fill the
position. She begins her exciting new cybersecurity career at IBM, while also continuing to progress
toward her bachelor’s degree at WGU.

11 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Showcasing retail workers’
skills to unlock opportunities

Background Pilot overview

Walmart U.S. employs over 1.5 million American This pilot aims to show how LER technology can
workers across over 5,000 locations. Understand- allow learners to seamlessly share earned creden-
ing and investing in skills is critical for Walmart’s tials with a potential or current employer. Walmart,
success. Walmart U.S. promotes over 200,000 the pilot’s lead organization, is the largest private
employees per year, and three quarters of its employer in the world, giving this pilot the poten-
managers started as hourly associates. Walmart tial to unlock opportunity for a significant number
spends billions of dollars annually on training, of workers. Walmart is investing in LER technology
including offering high-quality college degrees because it needs a better way to identify workers
for $1 per day. Managing and investing in such a with the skills needed to fill thousands of open
massive workforce demands systems that can jobs. This effort will benefit current and future
track workers’ skills and achievements. Walmart associates alike. The pilot demonstrates
the ability to transfer verified credentials across
Goal organizations and individuals. This capability will
The Walmart pilot is designed to prove interop- give Walmart associates the ability to manage and
erability between a university, an employer, control a machine-readable learning record of the
and recruitment platforms. The pilot will share skills they have achieved, enabling them to market
information between WGU and Walmart. The their skills to achieve promotions or to explore
pilot will also demonstrate the ability of learners new opportunities. Walmart will gain visibility to
to showcase their skills to their employer using associates who have achieved multiple skills and
technology and applications from Workday, and to badges and are considered high potential.
prospective employers, using LinkedIn.

12 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Meet Marcus
Marcus was always a hard worker—his family needed him to be. Right out of high school, his mother
was diagnosed with cancer, and he started working full time to help support his family. His first job
was as a Walmart Electronics Sales Associate.

1. Immediately, he was enrolled in Pathways, the Walmart frontline associate training program. When
he completed it, he got a pay raise. After a year, he was promoted to Department Manager, managing
employees in a section of the store. Marcus thrived in management. He loved the opportunity for lead-
ership, and the daily process of developing employees. He could picture a future in management. He
received further training in the Walmart Academies, but the experience left him wanting even more.

2. He searched online for programs in Business that he could do at his own pace, on his own time—he
wanted to go to school, but his first commitments were to his family, and his job. He found a program
in Business Management at WGU, applied, and was accepted.

3. Marcus wanted his managers at Walmart to see the progress he was making, so he allowed his
achievements to be shared with Walmart through the Workday WayTo mobile wallet app.

4. Separately, Walmart was searching for an associate who could fill a newly available Assistant Man-
ager position. Walmart reviewed its local talent pool using Workday, trying to identify employees that
had the skills to take on more responsibility. Marcus was identified as a candidate that had the specific
skills needed for the position, and Walmart reached out to him about interviewing. The hiring manager
could see not only what Marcus had achieved at Walmart and through the Walmart Academies, but
also the skills he had acquired through his coursework at WGU. He was promoted again.

13 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Creating a trusted skills network for
accelerated healthcare hiring and onboarding

Today, there are approximately 3.8 million nurses Goal

in the United States,10 approximately 2.2 million This pilot’s main objective is to validate the
of whom work in hospitals.11 The healthcare technical feasibility and marketplace desirability
hiring process is time consuming and expensive, of using LER technology to address hiring and
with secondary impacts on both the cost and job searching frictions in nursing. Dignity Health
quality of care. Streamlining job searching and Global Education (DHGE) is developing the Altra
hiring could make nursing a more attractive, talent network, a technology system that will
high-mobility career. allow medical professionals, healthcare provid-
ers, and educational institutions to seamlessly
For nurses, preserving records of their creden- collaborate to meet the evolving needs of the
tials, acquiring and showcasing relevant skills, healthcare talent marketplace while empowering
and maintaining up-to-date certifications can be medical professionals to advance their careers.
a difficult, time-consuming and stressful affair,
particularly when educational institutions go out To validate technical feasibility, the use of Verified
of business. The patchwork of records to verify Credentials13 and Open Badges (OBI)14 standards,
nurses’ professional credentials and skills makes along with Badgr,15 a market leading micro-cre-
the pursuit of opportunity in nursing—switching dentialing platform, were leveraged to facilitate
employers, advancing in responsibilities, or up- the exchange of information in a privacy-protect-
skilling for future roles—extremely difficult. ing manner. In addition, skills-based credentials
were explored to signal progression towards a
At the same time, archaic recruitment technol- larger education objective (e.g., a Bachelor’s
ogies cost hospital millions of dollars per year. degree). The exchange of this information was
Hospital human resources recruiters spend much tested among DHGE, Mercy College of Health
of their time searching job sites, reviewing re- Sciences (Mercy College) and Western Governors
sumes, and confirming credentials to find a small University (WGU).
number of qualified candidates. With an average
of 42 days to fill a role and an average cost of Pilot overview
$4,129 per hire,12 these administrative tasks slow The pilot showcases how a nurse can maintain an
the hiring process. Moreover, upskilling, onboard- up-to-date, verifiable profile to find new opportu-
ing, and unstaffed roles add strain to other nurses nities, receive trusted credentials, and share them
and ultimately can affect patient care. Addressing in a machine-readable and verifiable format.
these issues can save not just millions of dollars, This pilot also explores how the LER technology
but also lives. can drastically reduce the time required for HR
recruiters to hire qualified nurses. Finally, the
pilot explores how educational institutions like
Mercy and WGU facilitate the life-long education-
al journey by accepting verifiable credentials from
multiple sources.

14 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Meet Claire
Claire, a Registered Nurse (RN) in Iowa, is ready to advance her career. While general purpose job
search sites offer help, Claire has struggled to find positions of interest and to understand the skills
and training needed to qualify for them. That’s why Claire downloaded the Altra app by DHGE. Altra
helps identify jobs matching Claire’s current skills and the steps necessary to advance into more
sophisticated roles.

1. Claire adds personal data to her profile, like contact information, educational information, and work
history. In addition, her profile allows her to receive cryptographically signed credentials from different
educational institutions and industry bodies, such as state certification boards, for example, which
allows potential employers to eliminate the time consuming and manual process of verification.

2. While browsing the app for nurse manager roles—a personal career objective—Claire learns that
she needs a BSN to advance. She finds an online RN to Bachelor’s in Nursing program from Mercy
College of Health Science that allows her to participate on her own time. Once the degree is com-
pleted, Claire receives a verifiable credential in her profile along with a list of specific skills acquired
during the program. Moreover, the Altra app now recommends roles like head nurse, nursing supervi-
sor, and other more advanced positions in line with her new credential.

3. Claire also finds new learning opportunities, including a micro-credential in Healthcare Manage-
ment from WGU. As part of the application, Claire provides her Mercy College credentials, and WGU
offers to accept prior credit for one of three courses. This accelerates Claire’s path to earning the
micro-credential.

4. A human resources recruiter leverages the Altra Network to find candidates for nursing leadership
roles at her hospital. The skills in Claire’s public profile strongly match the role, pushing her up the
candidate list. The recruiter identifies Claire as a potential candidate, but she also directly invites her
to apply. Claire submits her application with verified credentials and advances to a video interview.
After a great discussion, she gets the job as a head nurse thanks to Altra.

5. With the Altra App and the network it creates, nurses and jobs are matched in minutes instead of
months. Recruiters save time and cost with access to a qualified candidate pipeline and spend less time
on verification. Most importantly, through transparency in hiring and control over learning and em-
ployment records, Altra provides nurses with the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to advance their
careers and improve their lives.

15 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 LER Resource Hub
and Pilots Directory

In early 2020, the T3 Network held a pilot design LER Resource Hub
workshop to inspire and educate organizations
interested in developing LER pilot, and to help The LER Resource Hub features a wide variety
organizations find potential pilot partners. One of open data resources and tools to create and
of the outcomes of the design workshop was to test an interoperable LER. It also features a di-
identify where existing T3 work groups might rectory of LER pilot projects. Currently, the LER
shift their focus to better support LER pilots. Resource Hub features the following priority re-
Three priorities were identified: (1) developing sources that were identified by members of the
a specification for constructing and proofing the T3 Network and aspiring LER pilots as essential:
authenticity of digital credentials; (2) providing
guidance on managing digital identity in LERs; • I ntroductory material to orient the newcom-
and (3) ensuring data standards mapping across er to the overall work underway within LER
learning and work domains are consistent with community
LER pilots and use cases.16
 esources related to data standards includ-
• R
The LER Pilot Projects registered with the T3 ing a directory of standards, key concepts
Network represent a wide range of efforts, both in related to data standards, and data mapping
terms of technology approaches and target prob- tools.
lems being addressed. All, however, share the core
commitment to follow recognized standards for • Resources related to skill and competency
types of records being exchanged and methods by repositories including information on the key
which they are validated and verified. The full list concepts related to skills and competences,
of projects can be found at the LER Hub Resource storage options, frameworks, and tools to
Pilot Directory.17 At the time of this writing, there manage and extract them.
are a total of 18 LER Pilot Projects described in
detail on the T3 Network’s directory. • Digital Identity Resources including an over-
view, key concepts, organizations working
In July 2020, the T3 Network launched the LER in this area and descriptions of their efforts,
Resource Hub, a living, expanding, and com- and a set of technical papers and reports
prehensive inventory of LER pilots, open data on decentralized identifiers, self-sovereign
resources, and enabling technologies.18 identity principles, data privacy laws, and a
This inventory—and others like it that may publicly available specification for creating
emerge—will continue to help provide updated an LER wrapper and wallet.
resources and profiles of partners as the LER
work becomes increasingly national and global. • L
 ER Pilot Directory describing 18 LER Pilot
Projects registered with the T3 Network.

The LER Resource Hub will be updated itera-

tively, adding resources and supports based
on lessons learned from pilots and demonstra-
tions and the onboarding of new pilots testing
different use cases.

16 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 LER pilot outcomes Lastly, the pilots demonstrated the viability of
technology platforms to address labor market
Successes challenges that create friction for both employers
Each of these pilots has been part of a collective and learners and workers. Each pilot was success-
effort between LER stakeholders to demonstrate fully organized around the needs of learner-work-
the technical feasibility of the LER. The results of ers and designed to address the pain points they
the pilots are clear: LER technology is viable and face in identifying pathways to opportunity, job
can reduce labor market frictions. Each of the searching, demonstrating qualifications to current
pilots demonstrates the use of common or open and potential employers, and identifying additional
achievement frameworks; this shared language opportunities for learning. Simultaneously, each
of achievements used within each of the pilots addressed the costs, time, and complexity that em-
collectively lays the foundation for interoperable, ployers face in searching for and identifying talent.
scaled LER technology. LER technology can catalyze economic growth by
creating opportunity for individuals and by improv-
The September 2019 white paper laid out a set of ing efficiency and reducing costs for employers.
concepts and ideas for how to construct a set of
solutions that make it easier to connect workers In short, the pilots proved the technical viability of
with jobs and provide better opportunity for all LER technology, employed best practices to build
Americans. The pilots turned those concepts and scalable, interoperable systems, and deployed the
ideas into real solutions that could be tested, technology against the critical challenges facing
demonstrated and replicated. In making that the workforce today.
leap from concept to software the teams had to
address complex issues around data, privacy, Challenges
standards, interoperability, governance and the Throughout this process, all organizations involved
roles of each participant in the LER ecosystem. As in the LER pilots had to re-balance resources to
a result, the pilots have significantly advanced our respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example,
collective knowledge about all facets of creating a the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a huge chal-
national infrastructure to support LERs. lenge for the Salesforce/DHGE pilot as it created
mass disruption in the healthcare space, signifi-
IBM, Walmart, Workday, Salesforce, WGU, and cantly complicating the recruitment of hospital
the T3 Network have collaborated on the core partners and nurses to participate in the pilot and
challenges required to foster the use of LERs. This provide feedback.
work has focused collaboration in two areas: tech-
nical standards and skills. The collaboration on While there is great progress in developing and test-
technical standards is about creating a seamless ing the LER infrastructure and ecosystem through
experience for the user so they can easily and se- the development of pilots and other initiatives, there
The pilots proved the curely share credentials between the various sys- are challenges as well. These innovations are oc-
technical viability of tems each organization uses to help its employees curring in a rapidly evolving business and technical
LER technology, em- manage their own careers and identify reskilling environment. This presents challenges in making
ployed best practices to and upskilling opportunities. The collaboration consequential decisions about systems, processes,
build scalable, interop- on skills uses common frames of reference that partnerships, and technology investments. As LERs
erable systems, and are industry-aligned to uncover career pathways are still emerging, significant business risks remain
deployed the technol- allowing people to understand the value of the for early innovators and adopters. Additionally, the
ogy against the critical skills they currently have, match those skills to the role of the federal and state governments as both
challenges facing the careers they want, and find education opportuni- employers and regulators in a skills-based talent
workforce today. ties available to build those skills. marketplace are still evolving, contributing to uncer-
tainty for early innovators.

17 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 The path forward to connect to other networks that are not specific
to LERs, but on which LERs are dependent. For
The Working Group has followed the pilot proj- example, an LER will need information about an
ects with great interest as it has considered individual that could include degrees, certifica-
what course of action is necessary to move from tions, employment, schools attended, internships,
limited LER pilots to fuller LER ecosystems. The etc. All this information is under the control of
significant coordination required across each pilot different government agencies, public and private
project points to the broader need for governance educational institutions, nongovernmental organi-
structures. While other countries may equate LER zations, and private sector organizations.
governance with government—such as the Euro-
pean Commission’s Europass Digital Credentials In order to handle this complexity, the AWPAB
Infrastructure—the Working Group advocates for recommends the creation of entities that can
a federated structure that accepts the government operate the LER infrastructure “as a service.” This
as a partner along with many other stakeholders. technical and governance expertise will facilitate
However, the Working Group outlines a robust role interaction between the broad ecosystem of LER
for federal and state governments to support LER stakeholder. The LER pilots and T3 should come
investments, awareness, and adoption. together with funders to organize entities that can
take on this charter and mission.
LER governance
As the use and adoption of LERs increase, two
different, but related, governance challenges will Recommendation 1: Create a loosely federated
emerge. The first challenge is governance within governance structure for LERs
a network of LER users and producers. Each
network needs to configure its set of technologies The idea of the networks all interacting to create
and business models to meet network members’ a “network of networks” is consistent with the
initial needs. At the same time, each member of future direction and aspirations of the LER com-
the network will decide upon norms, standards, munity, because it is a pre-condition for success.
and process for making decisions regarding the Therefore, the AWPAB recommends a loosely fed-
development and use of LERs and the eventual erated governance structure to address interoper-
expansion of the network, which can help ensure ability across networks.
long-term viability.
This approach is also optimal for the required
The second challenge is managing the emergence innovation and entrepreneurship to assure broad
of multiple, possibly competing, LER networks. adoption and innovative uses of LERs.
Interoperability among the various LER networks
is needed to provide users a seamless experience. The T3 Network has launched a work group to
Communication and cooperation among the pilot explore the design and business model for sup-
partners are required for the hope of interoper- porting technical interoperability across new and
ability to become reality. Open standards and emerging LER networks and to ensure there are
open application program interfaces, or APIs, can bridges to other data and technology networks
ensure that the data from one network seamlessly on which they rely (e.g., data standards organi-
crosses networks, making their technology differ- zations, skills data, etc.). By the end of 2020, the
ences invisible to the services that users of LER T3 Network will publish recommendations on the
networks depend on. Establishing these practices design of the network of networks outlined in this
will also facilitate adoption of innovation at a more white paper and how it will support cross-net-
rapid pace. Additionally, LER networks will need work LER governance. From there, T3 plans to im-
plement a global network of networks community
of interest in 2021 to support and accelerate the
digital transformation of the talent marketplace,
including scaling adoption and use of LERs.

18 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Role of government in LERs In addition, federal and state governments can
The AWPAB recognizes that the private sector develop collaboratives with advanced stakehold-
is primarily responsible for the technological, ers to facilitate pilot projects directed at imple-
governance and management innovations that menting LERs and skills-based initiatives. They
leverage the potential of LERs, and innovation should resource collaborative efforts with key
and entrepreneurship to construct LER solutions stakeholders to pursue a purposeful skills-based
that drive value for LER users. Businesses and future. Pilot projects should aim to drive broad
their employees have a critical role to play in the adoption and should be easy to implement from
development of LERs, and should explore, adopt, a regulatory perspective. Governments can help
and internalize LERs and skills-based hiring. But capture and disseminate the lessons learned from
federal and state governments have a critical role pilot projects so that others can replicate suc-
to play in advancing the development of a scaled cesses and avoid past pitfalls. This work should
LER ecosystem. At the federal level, the National inform regulatory or legislative changes required
Council for the American Worker should priori- for broadscale adoption of LERs.
tize LER development and adoption by explicitly
Federal and state tracking and coordinating these initiatives across
governments can agencies in collaboration with the private sector. Recommendation 3: Support core infrastructure
and should actively Federal and state governments can and should investments for LERs
encourage and support actively encourage and support innovation and
innovation and entre- entrepreneurship to support a future in which Federal and state agencies should take a fresh
preneurship to support LERs seamlessly connect individuals with their look at grant requirements to consider how they
a future in which LERs next opportunity. Governments should fund cre- can help stakeholders build the digital and data
seamlessly connect ation of a national LER infrastructure and assure infrastructures needed for LERs. Federal and state
individuals with their a regulatory environment that encourages, incen- education, training, workforce, and economic de-
next opportunity. tivizes, and mandates the use of LERs. velopment grants can directly or indirectly support
the skills acquisition of millions of Americans.

Recommendation 2: Educate businesses This year, the U.S. Department of Education has
and the public about LERs led by example. Funded by the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act,19 or the CARES
Organizations must take the time to develop a Act, the Department created the Education Sta-
sound understanding of LERs and the positive bilization Fund—Rethink K-12 Education Models
organizational impact they can drive. For organi- (ESF-REM)20 grant program to support new, inno-
zations new to LERs, this can be accomplished by vative ways to access education with an emphasis
undertaking feasibility studies, needs analyses, on meeting students’ needs during the coronavi-
and pilot projects. Federal and state governments rus national emergency. The ESF-REM program
should establish collaboratives with key stake- permits grant funding to be used for developing
holders and provide available resources to and implementing LER systems that record and
advance skills-related work within their juris- communicate verifiable information about an
dictions. Comprehensive feasibility studies and individual’s credentials, skills, and achievements.
needs analyses by regions or sectors can provide The program also encourages applicants to design
roadmaps for developing skills-based learning programs using common schema and linked data
and hiring practices. Key stakeholders include standards compatible with LERs, as defined in
state and local governments (for the federal gov- the AWPAB’s September 2019 white paper. The
ernment), workforce boards, economic develop- inclusion of LERs as an allowable use for grant
ment organizations, institutions of higher educa- funds encourages organizations to begin thinking
tion, secondary schools, employers, and unions. about LERs as a resource and to start marking LER
investments to foster economic recovery.

19 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 The Department of Education has also supported Coordinating across these valuable individual
meaningful LER ecosystem pilots using block- initiatives would bolster the federal governments’
chains to provide decentralized secure storage ability to establish its own LER ecosystem, par-
networks for digital credentials. Through the ticipate more fully in LER governance structures,
Education Blockchain Initiative led by the Amer- and demonstrate by example how to harness
ican Council on Education, the program seeks the power of LERs and skills-based hiring. The
technology-enabled solutions that reorient the National Council for the American Worker is
education and employment ecosystem around the especially well-suited to act as the coordinating
individuals that they aim to serve, driving interop- organization within the federal government given
erability, social mobility, and learner control.21 the wide range of departments and White House
offices involved and its mandate to equip Ameri-
There are many similar opportunities for govern- can workers to win in the global economy.
ment agencies at the federal and state level to
examine how they can deploy funding to stimu-
late public-private partnerships to catalyze the Recommendation 5: Adopt skills-based
LER ecosystem. hiring practices

LERs will only reveal their true value in a skills-

Recommendation 4: Establish LER coordinating based labor market in which learning and
structures within government achievement are measured through the skills that
learners attain. Federal and state governments
Governments can also establish internal LER coor- should adopt skills-based hiring practices and
dinating structures. A vast internal network across explore action to incentivize other employers to
the federal government, for example, is needed to embrace these practices as well.
create and reap value from LERs. No single federal
agency can serve as the leader in policy develop- Organizations undertaking this journey begin by
ment, adoption, or funding for LERs. defining the skills required for their jobs, invento-
rying the skills their employees have, developing
Already, multiple federal agencies are actively educational opportunities that allow them to pre-
building LER networks. For example, the Depart- pare their workforces for the future, and creating
ment of Defense (DoD) is working on an Enterprise clear career pathways. In addition, they embed
Learner Record Repository,22 which consolidates these concepts in all their enterprise systems and
DoD education and training resources that current- approaches for talent management and talent
ly exist on different systems in different formats. acquisition. Finally, they join with others in their
This consolidation will allow for DoD agencies to industry to create skills-based ontologies and
better share information and resources. The Cy- career pathways for their specific industry.
bersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and
the Department of Homeland Security are planning
to create a standardized, universally accessible
means of tracking and validating the credentials of
cybersecurity professionals. Likewise, the General
Services Administration has created a Curated
Data Skills Catalog23 to help agencies develop
competencies for managing data as a strategic
asset and making data-driven decisions.

20 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 By moving toward a system in which individuals In addition to working toward being a model
and employers can understand the skills some- employer regarding skills-based hiring efforts,
one has by the credentials they hold, we en- Indiana is also working to increase the number
hance the power of the LER as an accelerator for of employers that utilize skills-based hiring prac-
skills-based hiring and education practices. Skills tices. Local workforce boards and the employer
included as metadata on achievements contained engagement team at the Indiana Department of
in an LER allows for transformational intelligence Workforce Development have participated in the
and capabilities, making skills-based pathways to Skillful Talent Series training regarding skills-
opportunity clear, transparent, and accessible for based hiring practices. Those trained are then
every individual. working with employers across the state to help
them transition to skills-based hiring practices
As the nation’s largest employer, the Federal and utilize skills-based approaches to access
government has an opportunity to make a sub- training funds available through the state’s Em-
stantial impact in the movement toward skills- ployer Training Grant program.
based hiring. On June 26, 2020, President Trump
signed the Executive Order on Modernizing and
Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal LERs can increase equity in the labor market
Job Candidates.24 The order calls for the Office
of Personnel Management to shift from vetting The use of LERs that verify skills attainment can
candidates for federal government jobs largely decrease inequities by reducing the focus on de-
on educational credentials and written question- grees that individuals have earned and increasing
naires to using assessment methods that more the focus on what individuals can do. Many capa-
directly determine whether job seekers possess ble individuals are eliminated from a job oppor-
the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job tunity simply because they do not have a degree.
they’re applying for. LERs can help individuals show their qualifications
for jobs by articulating their skills and compe-
Likewise, the state of Indiana is making skill- tencies to an employer. The adoption of LERs will
based hiring both a statewide priority and a key increase economic mobility for individuals who
component of the Indiana Disability Hiring Initia- have been disproportionately impacted by de-
tive. The state’s Office of Information Technology gree-based hiring. Hiring and promotion practices
and the State Personnel Department are updating that focus on skills will enhance the power of LERs
job postings to consider and embed skills-based and the efficiency of the labor market.
approaches, while State Personnel Department
hiring managers are receiving basic training
in skills-based hiring practices. In the Indiana
Disability Hiring Initiative, the State Personnel
Department is implementing a plan that spans
multiple state agencies and community partners
to identify job descriptions that would be ready
for a rewrite to focus on skills and increase the
hiring of disabled individuals.

21 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

 Recommendation 6: Modernize regulations By transforming one-directional regulatory
to benefit from LERs reporting structures to more dynamic pub-
lic-private data collaboratives powered by LERs,
Federal and state governments should revise government agencies can continue to meet
regulatory processes and data-sharing agree- Federal reporting requirements, while providing
ments related to education and employment by significantly more public value with the data for
fully embracing LER structures that support evi- employers, education providers, learners and
dence-based policymaking. Education providers, workers. LERs would also increase the privacy
workforce boards, and private employers spend and security of regulatory data sharing and make
considerable time, money, and resources on data data governance more transparent and account-
collection and reporting without using the data to able. Regulators should clearly signal an intended
directly improve learner and worker outcomes. transition from current burdensome data collec-
LERs that are interoperable across public and tion practices to LER transmitted data.
private networks will allow for easy, standard-
ized, and automated data exchange that replaces Indiana is already beginning this process, ex-
burdensome manual reporting, saving resources ploring how to combine diverse state administra-
while also improving the quality and depth of tive datasets on employment and education to
administrative data. improve the ability to provide services to constit-
uents, including guiding UI recipients to training
For instance, LER data can be used to understand programs. Overtime, these integrated datasets
which programs and skills offered by local training can serve as a foundation for state governments
LERs that are interop- providers increase economic mobility. Similarly, to better engage with LER ecosystems.
erable across public workforce boards could satisfy reporting require-
and private networks ments through participants’ LER records rather
will allow for easy, than through the costly tracking and reporting Conclusion
standardized, and system used today. With higher quality data,
automated data ex- workforce policy program evaluation would likely LER’s are an essential element of a digital infra-
change that replaces be far more accurate and successful. LER adop- structure to enable the future of learning and
burdensome manual tion by state unemployment insurance (UI) offices work. LER technology reduces hiring friction and
reporting, saving could dramatically reduce the reporting burden helps workers identify and travel along pathways
resources while also for employers while simultaneously enhancing to opportunity. The pilots facilitated by the White
improving the quality UI wage records at a time when better real-time House and the T3 Network illustrate the feasibil-
and depth of adminis- information on unemployment is critical. ity and efficacy of LER technology and demon-
trative data. strate the many ways that LERs can improve the
Another potential use case for LERs would be talent marketplace for learners, employers, and
to facilitate the student loan process. LER data educators.
controlled by students could be used to apply
for financial aid. This would reduce barriers to As the country continues its shift toward a scaled,
post-secondary enrollment while streamlining interoperable LER ecosystem, it will be essential
reporting mandated by the Perkins Act, which for government to collaborate with the private sec-
requires postsecondary institutions to collect, tor to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship
clean, and share several hundred performance around tools, technologies, methodologies and ap-
metrics based on individual-level student records. proaches that can scale the adoption of LERs and
LERs have the potential to make this process define where they can have the greatest impact.
much simpler, quicker and more accurate.
This white paper recommends actions for
federal and state governments to support LER
development and adoption. At the federal level,
the National Council for the American Worker
should immediately implement the white
paper’s recommendations.

22 Learning and Employment Records Progress and the path forward

1 This working group was formerly named Data Transparency 10 www.aacnnursing.org/news-Information/fact-sheets/nursing-fact-
Working Group. sheet#:~:text=Nursing%20is%20the%20
2 American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. White Paper on nation’s%2largest,registered%20nurses%20(RNs)%20nationwide.
Interoperable Learning Records. September 2019. Available at: 11 www.bls.gov/spotlight/2015/employment-and-wages-in-
www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/ILR_White_ healthcare-occupations/pdf/employment-and-wages-in-
Paper_FINAL_EBOOK.pdf healthcare-occupations.pdf
3 In the September 2019 white paper, this concept was referred 12 Society of Human Resource Management’s 2016 Human Capital
to as an interoperable learning record (ILR), which has the Benchmarking Survey results available at www.shrm.org/
predominant technical nomenclature in the community working about-shrm/press-room/press-releases/Pages/Human-Capital-
on this issue. Subsequently, to the white paper release, as the Benchmarking-Report.aspx
concept garnered a wider audience, the community of 13 A verified credential is a trusted claim between an issuer, a holder,
institutions, companies, individuals, and other stakeholders and a verifier. In November 2019, the World Wide Web Consortium
involved in this effort came to see the need for a more (W3C) published the Verified Credential Data Model. The model is
accessible term. The new term, Learning and Employment available at: www.w3.org/TR/vc-data-model/.
Record (LER) reflects the collective desire to provide intuitive
nomenclature to describe this technology as these concepts 14 openbadges.org
become increasingly mainstream. Ultimately, this technology 15 info.badgr.com
will improve the lives of all American workers and learners, and 16 T3 Innovation Network’s LER use cases are available at
it is critical that the language used to describe it is increasingly lerhub.org/s/curators/ilr-utilities/DSTHPH7XGQseS3FcY.
accessible and discussable.
17 The T3 Innovation Network LER Pilot Directory is available at:
4 As a note, the technology underpinning LERs is covered at length lerhub.org/s/curators/specs-0/ZT3McEDpgKayCXyqc-0.
in the September 2019 AWPAB white paper and the 2020 white
paper “Understanding Interoperability for Educational 18 www.uschamberfoundation.org/t3-innovation-network/ilr-pilot-
Blockchains.” program. See the July 14, 2020 blog “Introducing the LER Hub—
The Next Phase in the Development of Learning and Employment
5 http://shorturl.at/kqyD7 Records.” Available at: www.uschamberfoundation.org/blog/post/
6 See slide 5 of https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/ introducing-ler-hub-next-phase-development-learning-and-
files/2020-08/AWPABJune18Slides_FINAL.pdf employment-records
7 In the fall of 2019, White House staff compiled and published an 19 www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3548
inventory to inform the field of LER work already underway. The 20 oese.ed.gov/offices/education-stabilization-fund/states-highest-
inventory was published in November 2019 and represents a coronavirus-burden
snapshot of the LER landscape at that time. The inventory
provides detailed descriptions of LER secure issuing and 21 www.acenet.edu/Research-Insights/Pages/Blockchain-Innovation-
verification protocols; data standards; ontologies and Challenge.aspx
frameworks; implementations, pilots, and implementation 22 federalnewsnetwork.com/defense-main/2020/08/dod-
support networks; and products and services. The inventory is overhauling-training-systems-creating-central-repository
available on the AWPAB webpage at www.commerce.gov/sites/ 2 3 strategy-staging.data.gov/feedback/action-13
default/files/2019-12/AWPAB_ILR_Inventory_Nov2019.pdf.
24 www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-
8 www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/business/the-mad-dash-to- modernizing-reforming-assessment-hiring-federal-job-candidates
find-a-cybersecurity-force.html
9 The NICE Framework is a fundamental reference for describing
and sharing information about cybersecurity work in the form of
Task Statements and Work Roles that perform those tasks. The
NICE Framework establishes a taxonomy and common lexicon
that describes cybersecurity work and workers irrespective of
where or for whom the work is performed. The NICE Framework
maps 1,007 cybersecurity tasks, 630 knowledge sets, 374 skills,
and 176 abilities against over 50 jobs roles in the field. The NICE
Framework is intended to be applied in the public, private, and
academic sectors. For more information see: nvlpubs.nist.gov/
nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-181.pdf and https://
www.nist.gov/itl/applied-cybersecurity/nice/nice-framework-
resource-center.

This document was developed by the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board’s Digital Infrastructure
Working Group. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions about the content of this
document or the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board’s Digital Infrastructure Working Group at
[email protected].