SkillsFWD
From Learning and Employment Record Concept to Practice
Building a National System for LER Interoperability Assessment, Assurance, and Support
SkillsFWD is a national demonstration initiative launched in 2023 to accelerate the real-world implementation of interoperable Learning and Employment Records.
Convened by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors with support from a collaborative of national funders, SkillsFWD invested in place-based and sector-anchored projects to move skills-based hiring infrastructure from theory into practice.
Rather than funding a single platform, SkillsFWD was intentionally designed as a portfolio of demonstrations, each testing how LERs function across the full lifecycle, issuing, holding, sharing, and use in real labor markets.
Context
By 2023, Learning and Employment Records (LERs) had gained widespread recognition as a promising mechanism for advancing skills-based learning and hiring. Yet most initiatives remained conceptual, fragmented, or limited to isolated pilots. SkillsFWD was designed to move the field beyond theory—supporting a portfolio of diverse, place-based, and sector-anchored projects that demonstrated true end-to-end LER interoperability in real labor markets rather than within a single platform.
Project Grantees
Client Objective
To ensure that SkillsFWD-funded projects could demonstrably meet shared, open standards for Learning and Employment Record (LER) interoperability by establishing a clear system for technical evaluation, formative guidance, and summative verification, enabling teams to implement, improve, and validate end-to-end LER workflows with confidence and credibility.
The Challenge
Define clear, standards-based interoperability criteria
SkillsFWD needed a shared, technically precise definition of what “interoperable” actually meant across diverse projects and platforms. The goal was to translate emerging LER standards into clear, testable criteria that could be applied consistently while still allowing for different technical architectures.
Provide actionable guidance to help teams close gaps
Assessment alone was not sufficient—many teams needed support interpreting requirements and addressing technical gaps. The goal was to pair formative assessment with targeted technical guidance, enabling teams to make concrete improvements and progress toward demonstrable interoperability.
Assess projects consistently and rigorously
With projects spanning regions, sectors, and technology stacks, SkillsFWD required a uniform assessment approach that went beyond surface-level review. The goal was to evaluate each project against the same technical expectations, using evidence-based methods that ensured fairness, rigor, and credibility.
Verify progress through evidence, not intent
SkillsFWD sought proof that systems worked in practice, not just in design documents or roadmaps. The goal was to validate progress through observed workflows, technical artifacts, and standards-conformant data—ensuring that interoperability was demonstrated, not assumed.
Our Solution
Micro-credential Multiverse designed and operated a technical assurance system that enabled SkillsFWD projects to move from conceptual designs to verified, standards-aligned interoperability.
Rather than relying on one-time evaluations, MCM implemented an iterative, evidence-based approach that combined assessment, guidance, and validation — giving project teams a clear pathway to demonstrate end-to-end LER interoperability while preserving flexibility in how systems were built.
A standards-aligned interoperability framework
MCM translated emerging LER standards into a clear, testable interoperability framework that defined what projects needed to demonstrate across issuer, holder, and verifier roles. This framework established a shared technical baseline without prescribing specific technologies or vendors, enabling comparability across diverse implementations.
Formative and summative technical assessments
Projects participated in structured formative assessments to establish baseline readiness and identify gaps, followed by summative assessments to verify conformance once improvements were made. This phased approach ensured rigor while allowing teams time and support to mature their systems.
Targeted technical guidance and recommendations
Between assessments, MCM provided actionable recommendations tailored to each project’s architecture and workflows. This guidance helped teams understand requirements, prioritize changes, and make concrete technical decisions needed to advance toward demonstrable interoperability.
Interoperability dashboards and progress visibility
To support transparency and shared understanding, MCM developed customized dashboards that tracked demonstrated requirements, outstanding gaps, and overall readiness. These dashboards gave teams, funders, and initiative leaders a clear, evidence-based view of progress across the cohort
Why this approach worked
By pairing rigorous standards with advisory support and visibility into progress, MCM enabled SkillsFWD to maintain high technical expectations while accelerating real-world implementation. Interoperability was not treated as a static checklist, but as a demonstrable outcome achieved through iteration, evidence, and shared accountability.
Deliverable Highlight
Institutional Strategic Planning Template
Through a collaboration between Micro-credential Multiverse and the MLN, a robust template was used to guide each participating institution through the strategic planning process. This template surfaced critical developmental components alongside best practices, examples, and research findings from industry-leading programs to ensure the success of each participating organization’s micro-credential program. These components included:
Technology Plan
Detailed plans for technology integration to support micro-credentialing initiatives.Funding and Resources
Securing and allocating necessary resources to sustain the programs.Launch Strategy
Developing comprehensive strategies for launching micro-credential programs effectively.Institution-specific Objectives
Tailoring the program to meet the specific objectives of each participating institution.
2023 Digital Learning Summit Keynote Presentation
Following the successful completion of the program, our founder and CEO was proud to keynote the 2023 Digital Learning Summit.
This event was hosted by The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Program Outcomes
100%
of participating institutions rated the Micro-Credential Learning Network as either Excellent (82%) or Good (18%).
9 out of 10
of participating instiutions said the Micro-credential Learning Network was instrumental in shaping their future micro-credential plans.
9 out of 10
of participating institutions would endorse the Micro-credential Learning Network to their peers and fellow institutions.
Institution Perspective
“I have a much better understanding of micro-credentials and how to create them.”
Kevin Morris, Dean of Business and Technology, San Jacinto College
“Working as a team helps to know you are not alone and brings other insights into the work.”
Dr. Michael Erny, Vice President of Workforce Education, Paris Junior College
“I learned a lot about micro-credentials and the impact they can have on our college, students, faculty, and community partners. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this!”
Dr. Elizabeth C. Rodriguez, Dean of Academic Innovation & Technology, Laredo College