It’s about creating opportunity. It’s about people. It’s always been about the people — and creating resources to empower them. That was the underlying message during this year’s T3 Innovation Network (T3 Network) Spring Meeting. Before any conversation about the use of data, emerging technologies, or digital tools to strengthen our workforce, we must acknowledge the key goal — connecting more people to successful jobs and careers.
The T3 Network is doing that. With more than 1,500 individuals and organizations working to ensure learners and workers can pursue and obtain education and employment opportunities, the initiative is on pace with an evolving learning and workforce landscape. This year, in conjunction with Arizona State University’s (ASU) Trusted Learner Network (TLN) Unconference, the vast array of knowledge and skill comprising the T3 Network was evident.
Key Takeaways
- Introduction of New SBHA and LER Toolkit
- Highlighting Key Projects Fueling the Work: Experience You, LER-RS, LinkedClaims
- T3 Network is Expanding Its Reach and Influence by Collaborating Internationally
What We Learned
Employers are increasingly moving towards prioritizing skills vs. degree requirements. But there’s one important thing: skills are hard to communicate. According to a Deloitte survey, organizations that focus on skills-based hiring are 98% more likely to have a reputation as a great place to grow and develop. That means a win for employers and prospective employees. The belief of the T3 Network, and those in the room, is that employers need a better way to communicate their needs and learners and workers need a better way to communicate their skills and abilities. And to this point, embedded in much of the discussion during the day is how to effectively promote and use Learning and Employment Records, or LERs, to enhance an individual’s ability to show what they know and can do.
The industries represented in the room were varied, showing the impressive collection of collaborators. Attendees included employers; data, technology, and software engineers; education professionals, training and credentialing providers, workforce development leaders, and government, to name a few. The predominant opinion was, essentially every industry has a role in changing, and therefore, improving our workforce system. Taylor Hansen, executive director of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, highlighted employers specifically.
“Employers have a role to play in implementing and adopting skills-based hiring, and not just by removing degree requirements,” said Hansen. “By prioritizing, identifying, and communicating the skills they need for the jobs they’re hiring for, including those in-demand skills, learners, along with education and training providers, can start to communicate back what they can do and how those skills align.”
Attendees Were Active
The organizations and individuals involved in the T3 Network are constantly working to build tools that help workers, learners, and employers. During this year’s Spring Meeting, along with key contributors, the T3 Network announced an exciting new upcoming resource — the Skills-Based Hiring and Advancement and LER Toolkit. This Toolkit (actually, a website), which includes a Demonstration Guide and Resource Library, is designed to provide resources for ongoing projects to enhance their effectiveness and help newcomers establish a strong foundation for their own initiatives in skills-based hiring and LER adoption.
But this wasn’t a simple mention of its development, attendees participated in a workshop on the content and direction of this new resource. This allowed those in attendance to give feedback, ask questions, and evaluate how useful the resources and tools are, while providing an understanding of how to approach the resources to help their work and integrate different stakeholders. The Toolkit will be released at this year’s T3 Network Mid-Year Meeting.
The Highlights
It’s not an overstatement to say that the topic that got those in attendance the most excited was the panel that discussed the current key initiatives and projects for the T3 Network. The panel, which included Naomi Boyer, Ph.D., senior vice president of digital transformation at Education Design Lab, and Phil Long, LERN facilitator for the T3 Network, moderated by Kate Giovacchini, executive director of enterprise technology at ASU, touched on one initiative and two major projects that have the T3 Network energized.
Highlights include:
- Experience You: Designed to bring everyone’s past education and experience forward — as skills. Experience You was developed to advance the growth of LERs by piloting how emerging technologies like A.I. can be used to support the issuance of verifiable and trusted records of experience and achievements for learners and workers.
- LER-RS (Learning and Employment Record Resume Standard): This project will bridge the divide between employer hiring systems and LERs by enabling the use of LERs when applying for jobs; and developing a prototype resume publisher to demonstrate its use and support pilots.
- LinkedClaims: Created to enable the linking of data across multiple LERs and for an individual or organization — like an employer — to validate one or more claims made in someone’s LER.
To put a finer point on the end goal and mission of the T3 Network while considering the necessary discussion around a data and technology infrastructure, or tools to effectively communicate skills, Naomi Boyer made a point to remind attendees, “it’s easy as fellow technologists to get emersed in the world of technical lingo and technology perspectives, as this is our charge and critical as the foundation for systemic change,” she noted. “If, however, we lose sight of the larger purpose of work, we will limit ourselves as we attempt to apply this foundation as a base for public adoption.”
There’s one more highlight to mention: In a presentation led by Simone Ravaioli, director of global ecosystem and innovation at Instructure, the T3 Network revealed plans to make it possible for LER-related projects to be adopted internationally. Employment and professional advancement aren’t just important in the U.S., it’s important globally. That’s why the T3 Network is seizing the moment to attempt to provide credentials for workers and learners — everywhere. Ravaioli explained to attendees that the T3 Network has a great opportunity to collaborate with more partners to create solutions successfully, and promote adoption growth. More to come on that front.
Forward-Looking
It’s clear from the responses and interactions during this year’s Spring Meeting that everyone involved with the T3 Network are dedicated to changing our workforce system for the better by creating and expanding opportunity for all. In just six years, the T3 Network has made serious progress towards that goal. While the work isn’t done, the impact has already been felt, and 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most productive yet.
Learn more about other U.S. Chamber Foundation workforce solutions.
About the authors
Joseph Davis
Joseph Davis is communications director at the U.S. Chamber Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
