SECTION MENU
Two students sit on grass with backpacks, using a laptop and tablet while drinking coffee, with campus buildings and autumn trees in the background.
Project

Skills at the Core

Skills are the currency of future-focused colleges and universities.

At a glance

Skills-first learning models, like competency-based education, have the power to transform the U.S. education system, strengthening the education-to-work pipeline and expanding career opportunities to millions of Americans.

Contributors
Mara Lockowandt Director
Meena Naik Senior Director
Nate Anderson Consultant
Taylor Maag Director of Workforce Policy
Greg DeSantis Associate Vice President
Sylvia Cini-Grenada Senior Manager
Practices & Centers Topics

The Problem

Research has shown that most learners and workers believe in the value of postsecondary education and want career pathways that lead them to economic advancement and a lifetime of opportunity.

Yet for many people, traditional higher education isn’t accessible or affordable and often isn’t flexible enough to meet their needs. Education and training options are hard for learners to navigate. Traditional programs aren’t designed for adult learners with years of work experience but limited time to pursue a degree. Recent graduates feel underprepared for the world of work. And many employers say they’re dissatisfied with the performance of college graduates.

The Solution

We need to shift our education system from one centered on attaining any credential to a system centered on what truly drives economic advancement: Credentials of value that are grounded in skills.

Skills-first learning models offer approaches to education, training, and credentialing that focus on what people know and what they can do, not on the number of years they have spent in classrooms.

  • Programs and credentials of value focus on skills that matter to learners. These credentials give a clearer picture of learners’ abilities. Skills-first models also make it easier for colleges to give credit for what learners already know—whether that comes from work experience or noncredit courses or other types of training. This approach helps connect different types of learning, speeds up completion, and saves students time and money by eliminating the need to repeat coursework.
  • Credentials of value are trustworthy indicators that graduates have skills that matter to employers. They open doors to quality jobs for learners and workers. Employers and industry associations already focus on skills; they use them in job descriptions, performance reviews, and industry-recognized credential systems. Each year, more states eliminate degree requirements and shift to skills-based hiring. Emphasizing skills in education, training, and credentialing supports greater alignment with industry.
  • Organizing education around skills makes learning more flexible and supports lifelong growth. Short-term training and micro-credential programs that group related skills create clear entry and exit points within traditional degree programs. They also offer new ways for workers to improve their current skills or learn new ones as their careers evolve. By stacking these credentials, learners can move toward a degree at their own pace or tailor their learning to meet the needs of new and emerging fields.

By scaling skills-first models we can clarify the path through the learn and work ecosystem and empower people with data and guidance to find, finance, and flourish in personalized, lifelong career pathways.

The Impact

The California Competency-Based Education Collaborative

In 2025, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office with the support of Jobs for the Future, released a blueprint for developing direct assessment competency-based education (CBE) programs. This resource builds on the work of the California Competency-Based Education Collaborative, a cohort of eight institutions tasked with launching the state’s first direct assessment CBE programs. For more than four years, JFF served as a strategic learning partner, advisor, and designer for the collaborative. In that role, we facilitated the development of dynamic learning experiences, a robust online CBE course series, a customized digital knowledge hub, and technical assistance to support implementation.

Project ACCESS: Accelerating Career Connections and Employment Success Strategies

JFF and The PwC Foundation are collaborating to support a cohort of 10 exemplary public community and technical colleges in accelerating innovative programs aligned with a variety of strategies, including work-based learning and short-term credentials that lead to paid employment. The goal is to serve all learners and to close outcomes gaps for learners who face barriers in education and workforce systems, including Black and Latine learners, women of all backgrounds, learners from low-income backgrounds, and first-generation college students.

We need a system that designs, identifies, and promotes credentials of value, anchored in skills and built for lifelong learning journeys.

Greg DeSantis and Meena Naik, “Too Many Credentials, Not Enough Value. Let’s Change That.” JFF blog, June 5, 2025

Partnering to Bring Skills-first Education to your State

JFF offers personalized support that goes beyond guidance. We work alongside you, to understand your unique state context, develop realistic goals, and execute strategies for innovation and scaling of skills-first practices.

Map skills across education and work

Shift the story on skills

Prove the power of skills-first

Build smart, secure data systems

Scale effective tools

Drive policy that enables innovation

Let’s Connect

By testing bold ideas and scaling proven practices, like skills-first models, we’re reimagining pathways that lead to quality jobs and lasting economic advancement.

Related Content