The earliest public mention of ‘skills-based hiring’ dates back to 2012, when innovators in New Mexico set out to better define what skills were actually required for jobs, and how job seekers could prove they had them. A few years later, a PSA campaign with Year Up and the Ad Council propelled the concept into the national spotlight. It became clear that countless individuals had the skills to thrive in well-paying jobs but were getting overlooked simply because they didn’t have a four-year degree.
Employers have always wanted skilled workers. They invest billions annually in education, recruitment, and workforce development. But traditional hiring methods have relied heavily on degrees as an easy screening tool, often filtering out talented candidates in the process.
The Rise of Learning & Employment Records (LERs)
Around eight years ago, discussions about Learning & Employment Records (LERs) started gaining steam. LERs are secure, shareable records that document an individual’s credentials, experiences, employment history, and, most importantly, skills. Thanks to recent technological advancements, LERs are now scalable and can integrate into larger workforce systems. Some states—including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, and Indiana—are already testing and implementing them.
Until recently, skills-based hiring and LER initiatives were moving on separate tracks. LERs were focused on credential and skill verification, while skills-first work aimed to shift employer practices. In reality, however, these innovations have always been linked. LERs can facilitate effective, efficient skills-first practices, streamlining hiring, career advancement, and workforce development at scale.
How Do We Bridge the Gap?
1. Making Skills Data More Accessible and Portable
Skills can be learned anywhere: on the job, in the military, through volunteer work, or formal education. To make this matter in hiring, we need to make skills data portable and accessible across different platforms. Proprietary systems that don’t integrate with others will only slow progress and limit the potential of a skills-based workforce.
2. Shifting the Focus from Technology to Outcomes
The tech behind LERs is impressive, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger picture. Job seekers, employers, and educators care most about how these records support tangible outcomes–whether that’s landing a job, finding the right talent, or improving training programs. We need to highlight the practical benefits, like how LERs can showcase skills, create career opportunities, and improve job mobility.
3. Designing for the People Who Use It
A skills-based system will benefit multiple groups:
- Job seekers get clear, verified records of their skills, making it easier to find roles that match their abilities, but also to shed light on what skills they are missing for their desired role.
- Education providers gain insights into how their students develop skills and can better demonstrate the value of their programs.
- Employers can tap into broader talent pools, assess candidates based on validated skills, and support ongoing skill development within their workforce.
Why Does This Matter?
Valuing All Learning Experiences
Every experience contributes to skill development, whether it’s a formal degree, on-the-job training, military service, or volunteer work. With LERs, we can finally capture and recognize all these learning pathways, shifting the focus from pedigree to proficiency.
Smarter Job Matching
A more complete picture of a person’s skills means better job matching. By integrating skills data with job seeker preferences and aspirations, we can connect people to roles that truly fit them while also highlighting career mobility opportunities.
AI Can Make Talent Management Smarter
With verified skills data, AI-powered tools can better support hiring, career navigation, and workforce planning. Accurate data means AI can offer stronger insights into job matching, career progression, and skill-building opportunities.
Better Support for Career Coaches and Mentors
LERs will empower career coaches, mentors, and educators with deeper insights into individual skill development, helping them provide more personalized guidance to those they serve. LERs also pave the way for self-guided career planning through smarter digital tools.
Where Are We Now?
Momentum Is Building
Major organizations, including the LER Accelerator hosted by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), the Digital Credentials Consortium at MIT, Skills-Driven State Community of Practice hosted by the National Governors Association, and the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s T3 Innovation Network, are championing LER adoption. These coalitions are working to drive awareness, address barriers, and lay the groundwork for a fully integrated system.
Regional Pilots Are Underway
Multiple states are testing digital ecosystems that connect training providers, employers, and workforce groups. Some of these pilots focus on helping veterans transition into civilian careers, while others, like Goodwill’s latest initiative being piloted in Arkansas, are geared toward supporting local job seekers.
Refining the User Experience
In summer 2025, Jobs for the Future will host a veterans LER credential portability demonstration event to test the technical and user experience aspects of LERs. Participants will be able to receive records, store them in digital wallets, and upload them to career platforms, helping refine the system for widespread use.
Improving Technology Access
Standards bodies like 1EdTech and HR-Open are refining interoperability requirements, and open-source credential issuers, such as those developed by the Digital Credentials Consortium and Digital Promise, are making these tools more accessible.
Emerging Innovations
By the end of 2025, three key technologies are expected to transition from theory to reality through pilot programs:
- JobSIDE: Creates skills-based job profiles.
- LinkedClaims: Allows individuals or third parties to validate skill proficiency.
- LER-Resume Standard: Enables workers to submit resumes containing verified skill data.
We’re on the brink of a transformational shift. By utilizing LERs and the verified records within them to facilitate the implementation of scaled skills-first practice, we can create a labor market that values learning wherever it occurs, unlocks career mobility, and provides employers with a clearer view of talent. With the right momentum, these innovations will build a more inclusive, data-driven, and efficient workforce system that benefits everyone.
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
Haley Glover 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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