Catalyzing a skills-based future. A woman accepting a job based on her skills.

Launched in 2023, SkillsFWD awarded seven inaugural grants of $1.4 million each to advance interoperable LER ecosystems that use digital records to support equitable lifelong learning and work, and address labor market demands. Each grantee will demonstrate proof-of-concept for how skills-based hiring and economic mobility can be enabled through the real world application of LERs.

SkillsFWD is a bold new initiative on a mission to catalyze a more equitable skills-based hiring ecosystem leveraging learning and employment records (LERs.)

The Inaugural
SkillsFWD Grantees

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Creating opportunity for all Hoosiers through digital credentials
Creating opportunity for all Hoosiers through digital credentials

As businesses face difficulty in finding qualified talent, shifting hiring practices to a focus on specific skills is key to addressing workforce shortages. Through their SkillsFWD partnership, Western Governors University (WGU), the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and the Institute for Workforce Excellence are building a comprehensive learning and employment record (LER) ecosystem that provides the human capital needed to drive a robust, forward-thinking economy through public-private partnerships. 

Aspyr's $4M grant boosts apprenticeships and skills-based hiring in Central Ohio
Aspyr's $4M grant boosts apprenticeships and skills-based hiring in Central Ohio

Aspyr, a SkillsFWD grantee and leader in workforce innovation, recently received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) program to further develop and scale apprenticeship opportunities across Central Ohio. Funding will help establish The Apprenticeship Resource Hub of Central Ohio (ARHCO), a centralized system designed to simplify access to apprenticeships.

From vision to action: The collaborative framework behind SkillsFWD
From vision to action: The collaborative framework behind SkillsFWD

We recently sat down with Heidi Hernandez Gatty, vice president of sponsored projects and funds for RPA, and Holly Custard, senior director of data ecosystem partnerships at Strada, for their perspectives on what makes a successful funder collaborative and what role intermediaries play in driving initiatives like SkillsFWD.

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