At the heart of a more equitable, dynamic, and resilient workforce lies a simple but profound idea: All learning should count, especially when skill attainment can be verified.
Whether acquired in a classroom, on a factory floor, in the military, or through the sheer resilience of navigating life’s complexities, learning happens everywhere. People develop competencies—knowledge, skills, and abilities applied in real-world contexts—in a multitude of settings. Yet the systems we’ve built to recognize and reward learning too often ignore it unless it comes with the right label, from the right institution, or in the right format.
This isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s a moral and economic one. If we truly want to create an inclusive economy where opportunity is not dictated by pedigree or place, we must reimagine how we value learning and talent. The way forward demands a bold commitment to making all learning visible, validated, and portable.
Recognizing What Already Works—While Building for What’s Next
Let’s begin by acknowledging what’s working. The US higher education system, for all its imperfections, remains one of the strongest drivers of economic mobility. In fall 2024, more than 19 million individuals were enrolled in US colleges and universities. These institutions provide not only academic knowledge but essential developmental experiences, social capital, and pathways to new opportunities.
To question the value of higher education is insanity. However, to depend exclusively on it as the sole arbiter of readiness and talent is equally flawed, especially when considering that learning continues after a degree is obtained. The future demands a “both/and” approach, where degrees and diverse learning pathways coexist and reinforce one another.
At the same time, we must recognize the remarkable learning that takes place outside traditional academic walls. Consider the US military: Every year, around 200,000 service members transition to civilian life. These individuals are rigorously trained, adaptable, and mission-ready. Their learning is high-stakes and real-time. Yet the competencies they acquire often go unrecognized by civilian employers and education providers because they lack a civilian-friendly translation.
Then there’s the workforce at large. Millions of workers, especially those without formal credentials, have built expertise through years of experience. They solve problems, lead teams, and adapt to new technologies every day. Yet when they seek to change careers, reskill, or pursue higher education, they will face an uphill battle, as their learning isn’t legible to the systems designed to serve them.
The Problem Isn’t Talent—It’s Translation
Why is it that, in a world brimming with talent, we still talk about “skills gaps”? Too often, we focus on where skills are developed, not what those skills actually are. Degrees and job titles serve as proxies, but they’re imperfect at best, exclusionary at worst.
This is where the shift to a “skills-first” approach becomes transformative.
A skills-first system centers on competencies, the actual capabilities a person brings to the table, rather than the paths they took to get there. It means hiring based on what someone can do, not just what their resume says. It means recognizing learning regardless of where it occurred. And it means helping individuals build, document, and communicate their skills in ways that open doors to new opportunities.
This shift isn’t hypothetical; it’s already happening.
Companies like Walmart, IBM, and Google are rethinking how they recruit and promote talent. Through skills-first hiring, they’re de-emphasizing degree requirements and focusing on demonstrated abilities. The benefits are tangible: improved retention, more diverse talent pipelines, and faster time-to-productivity.
Just recently, the Skills-First Workforce Initiative hosted by the Burning Glass Institute, which collaborates with employers including Walmart, Verizon, Blackstone, Accenture and others, released its framework to increase transparency of the skills needed for in-demand jobs. The project created standardized skill profiles for nine jobs that represent over 11 million American workers.
What This Means for Higher Education
Colleges and universities can and must be part of this evolution. In fact, they’re uniquely positioned to lead it.
Imagine if every graduate left college with a transcript that didn’t just list courses and grades, but clearly articulated the competencies they had mastered. Think about the power of pairing academic learning with real-world work experience—co-ops, internships, apprenticeships—so that students not only know what to do, but how to do it.
Competency-based education (CBE) offers a promising model. By designing programs around demonstrated skills rather than seat time, CBE allows learners to progress at their own pace and apply what they know in meaningful ways. Institutions such as Western Governors University, Nicolet College, Merced College, University of Kansas, and others have shown how CBE can expand access, improve outcomes, and better align with employer needs.
Moreover, higher education institutions need to get serious about recognizing prior learning, whether it’s from military service, on-the-job experience, or self-directed study. According to the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), students who earn credit for prior learning are more likely to persist and complete degrees, and they save time and money in the process.
This matters now more than ever. The so-called “demographic cliff” is real; traditional college-age populations are shrinking. If colleges want to stay relevant and financially viable, they must serve a broader range of learners, including adult students, working professionals, and those returning to education later in life. Student-friendly credit transfer policies and navigable credential pathways are not just nice to have; they’re essential.
Translating Military Learning into Civilian Opportunity
The US military has long been a site of world-class education and training. The challenge is ensuring that learning counts once a service member hangs up their uniform.
The U.S. Department of Defense and partners have made strides in translating military training into college credit. But the process remains inconsistent, opaque, and dependent on the receiving institution’s discretion.
We can do better. Service members deserve a standardized, skills-based record that clearly translates their learning into civilian terms: one that’s understandable by employers, colleges, and workforce agencies alike.
This isn’t just a veteran issue; it’s a workforce readiness issue. Additionally, it is just as important for those who serve part-time and have civilian careers. These are individuals with leadership experience, technical prowess, and unmatched resilience. We cannot afford to let their potential go untapped.
Employers: From Secret Sauce to Shared Value
Many employers invest heavily in training, upskilling, and leadership development. But few have mechanisms to capture and communicate what their workers are actually learning.
Internal credentials, portable learning records, and verified skills can change that. By making learning visible and shareable, employers help workers grow, and help themselves build stronger, more agile teams.
Some companies fear that making skills transparent is like sharing their secret sauce. But the opposite is true. A transparent learning ecosystem improves internal mobility, boosts employee engagement, and makes it easier to attract top talent. When skills are documented, they become currency not just for external hiring, but for career development within the organization.
The Path Forward: Visibility, Validation, and Portability
If we’re serious about building a skills-first future, we need to invest in systems that:
Make learning visible. Skills must be documented in clear, consistent, and accessible ways. Projects like SkillsFWD are supporting local pilots as they not only bring visibility to learning, but ensure can find value by using their learnings to be matched to opportunity.
Ensure validation. Learning should be assessed and validated, regardless of where it took place. Education Design Lab and others have launched the Skills Validation Network, which is focused on developing a variety of methods for skills validation.
Enable portability. Individuals must be able to carry their learning with them from job to job, or school to school. That means interoperable systems and shared standards across education and employment sectors. Jobs for the Future is partnering with stakeholders from across the ecosystem to not only test interoperability but are doing so through the lens of the end user, as to ensure systems are working for those that need it the most.
These aren’t just technical upgrades. They’re strategies for widening the path to success. When we expand the ways learning is recognized, we expand the number of people who can access opportunity.
No Talent to Waste
We are at an inflection point. Technological change, demographic shifts, and economic volatility are reshaping the world of work. In this environment, no talent can go to waste.
Making all learning count isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. It’s how we build a workforce that is inclusive, prepared, and resilient. It’s how we ensure that everyone, regardless of background, pathway, or pedigree, can see themselves in the future of work.
Let’s build a world where all learning counts.
The views expressed in this blog reflect current thinking in the evolving field of workforce innovation. Mentions of specific organizations or tools are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute endorsement.
About the Authors
is the senior director of UpSkill America, an initiative of the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program.
Sean Murphy is currently the director of Retail Opportunity at Walmart.org.
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supports employers and workforce organizations to expand and improve high-quality educational and career advancement opportunities for America’s front-line workers. We seek to create a movement of employers, civic organizations, workforce intermediaries, and policymakers working collaboratively to implement education, training, and development strategies that result in better jobs and opportunities for front-line workers, more competitive businesses, and stronger communities. Follow us at www.upskillamerica.org and
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