Building Public-Private Education-to-Work Data Partnerships

Millions of Americans do not have a quality job and face barriers to economic success, particularly from population groups such as people without a four-year degree, people of color, women, and people with records. To understand how and where people are situated in the U.S. labor market and how they experience our education and workforce systems, we need sophisticated data and data systems to illuminate trajectories across the arc of learning and work. A great deal of public and private data exists that could help map these trajectories and opportunities for intervention. But these data and data systems are not connected or clear.

This report makes the case for how and why education and workforce leaders should link public and private education and workforce data to promote economic mobility for all—and it offers guidance on how to forge partnerships that will allow us to do so. First, it highlights the various types of data available and what we might accomplish by linking them. The report also provides examples for how public and private data could be combined to develop a deeper understanding of employer demand and the learn-to-earn pipeline. Finally, it outlines concrete ways that education and workforce leaders can partner to push for change.

We see the report as a starting point for both dialogue and action with partners across the learn and work ecosystem; education and workforce leaders can leverage their influence, partnerships, and policy tools to build the infrastructure for a shared, skills-driven data ecosystem.

Some key takeaways from the report include:

• Public data alone is not enough.
  While foundational, public data systems are fragmented, underfunded, and limited in scope. Linking them with private data can uncover richer, real-time insights about labor market demand and worker outcomes.
• Private-sector data offers powerful, untapped potential.
  Employers collect vast data on hiring, training, productivity, and advancement. Integrating this data with education and workforce data can illuminate which programs, credentials, and skills truly drive hiring and advancement.
• Leaders can act now to build a smarter, more connected learn-and-work ecosystem.
  Through actions such as leveraging their market power, incentivizing innovation, and simplifying policy barriers, education and workforce leaders can turn today’s fragmented systems into integrated pathways that improve opportunity for all.