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Competencies & Credentials

Unlocking the power of competencies and credentials to create a more equitable workforce ecosystem

What We Do

CSW’s Competencies & Credentials team drives economic mobility by aligning education with workforce needs—especially for those who have historically faced barriers to opportunity. We are engaged in the national movement to rethink credentialing and increase the use of competencies to bridge gaps between employers, educators, and individuals. Our work promotes incremental credentialing for clearer career pathways, ensuring that these efforts drive fairer hiring and learning opportunities.

Who We Work With

We partner with workforce leaders, colleges and universities, state education systems, employers, and industry groups to advance the use of competencies and incremental credentials—building a fairer education and workforce ecosystem. 

How We Do It

  • Credentialing Pathways Strategies & Improvements
  • Practitioner-Centered Promising Practice Research
  • Postsecondary Trends and Innovations Analysis
  • Occupational Profile Development
  • Coaching & Technical Assistance
  • Future-Focused Systems Design

Join us in improving education outcomes:
How We’re Making Change
Credentialing Pathways Strategies & Improvements

Our team supports colleges, workforce organizations, regions, and communities to strengthen education and training pathways, ensuring they lead to valuable credentials and quality jobs.

 

Practitioner-Centered Promising Practice Research

Qualitative and mixed-methods research is designed and conducted to elevate the experiences and perspectives of learners, educators, and institutional leaders to uncover what works—and what needs to change.

 

Postsecondary Trends and Innovations Analysis

Trends, innovations, and equity gaps in workforce development are identified through analysis at the national, state, and institutional levels, resulting in actionable landscape scans, insight briefs, and policy recommendations.

 

Occupational Profile Development

Stronger alignment between education and employment is supported through competency-based job profiles for current and emerging occupations informed by labor-market intelligence and validated by colleges, workforce organizations, and employers.

 

Postsecondary Coaching & Technical Assistance

We empower our partners with strategic guidance to set clear goals, define success metrics, and engage in high-impact practices and initiatives. As a neutral, strategic thought partner, we collaborate closely to create lasting impact.

 

Future-Focused Systems Design

Our work helps partners anticipate future trends and design forward-looking solutions responsive to shifts and innovations in education and workforce development, addressing specific economic, demographic, and industry contexts.

Over 43 million Americans have some college but no credential.

Americans who do not hold a postsecondary credential earn 75% less over their lifetime compared to those with a post-secondary credential.
Work With Us
Featured Case Study: Strengthening Michigan’s Direct Care Workforce

Since 2022, CSW has partnered with IMPART Alliance at Michigan State University to address Michigan’s critical shortage of direct care workers (DCWs)—a gap of approximately 34,000 unfilled positions. This shortage significantly impacts the state’s ability to deliver essential behavioral health, community mental health, and long-term care services to individuals with disabilities and older adults. To meet this challenge, IMPART Alliance is leading efforts to professionalize the direct care workforce, ensuring that DCWs receive adequate training and credentials and have access to stable career pathways and economic security. By increasing the state’s capacity for training, credentialing, and career advancement, this initiative strengthens Michigan’s workforce and enhances the quality of care for those who rely on these essential services.

CSW supports this effort through oversight of credential development, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven insights. CSW is leading the development of competency-based, industry-recognized credentials and exploring sustainable models for their long-term administration. CSW has conducted in-depth interviews with direct care workers, employers, state agencies, community colleges, workforce development agencies, and policy experts to ensure these credentials align with industry needs. Additionally, CSW is leveraging data analysis to map workforce trends, measure the impact of credentialing efforts, and inform policies that support a stronger, more resilient direct care workforce. By combining strategic vision with data-driven solutions, CSW and IMPART Alliance are working to build a sustainable infrastructure for Michigan’s direct care workforce, ensuring both economic security for workers and quality care for Michigan’s citizens.

Recent Clients & Selected Work

  • ACE-UP Community of Practice
    Lumina Foundation
  • Strategically Messaging Equity as a Postsecondary and Workforce Imperative
    Annie E. Casey Foundation
  • Credit-for-Prior Learning Implementation Framework
    Southwest Oregon Community College
  • Developing a System of Direct Care Worker Certifications
    IMPART Alliance, Michigan State University
  • SMART Iowa
    Hawkeye Community College/US DOL
  • Building Apprenticeship Systems in Cybersecurity
    BASIC; U.S. Department of Labor
  • Certifications Study
    Lumina Foundation
  • Credential As You Go
    Lumina Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, I.E.S. and Walmart Foundation
  • CTE Study
    Business Leaders for Michigan
  • Occupational Profiling
    Michigan Justice Fund
  • Training Future Colleges to Enable Youth and Adults for Mobility-Credentials of Value
    University of Pittsburgh and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Auditing Alabama’s Occupational Ontology
    Alabama’s Governor’s Office of Education & Workforce Policy

Recent Posts on Competencies & Credentials
Meet the Competencies & Credentials Team:

Melissa Goldberg

Director of Competencies & Credentials

Diamond Dickerson

Senior Policy Associate

Jenny Poole, Ph.D.

Senior Policy Associate

Jason Render

Policy Associate

Support improvements in worker skills, lifelong learning, and job quality:

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