CAEL and ACCE Form a New Partnership

CAEL and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) have announced a partnership to enable greater collaboration and resource sharing. The partnership will allow each organization to share best practices, research, technical expertise, and networking events with their respective memberships.

"This is an outstanding opportunity for CAEL to increase its collaboration with chambers and economic development organizations, while also ensuring this sector’s voice is heard loud and clear within our membership,” said Doug Heckman, vice president of partnerships for CAEL.

Heckman said the two organizations are aligned around key areas, including regional upskilling, talent attraction and retention, credit for prior learning, and career pathways. Many chambers have engaged with CAEL as members or as beneficiaries of Bridging the Talent Gap (BTTG), a nationally proven tool that provides insights to strengthen higher education and industry partnerships.

CAEL has used BTTG to survey nearly 4,000 employers, collecting valuable data on higher education partnerships, education benefit programs, and credential needs. This data has helped cities and states support upskilling and retention programs while also addressing credential attainment goals.

Heckman sees the partnership with ACCE as an opportunity to raise awareness about such outcomes and bring more stakeholders who are needed at the table to realize greater success. “Complex – and sometimes competitive – dynamics can make collaboration difficult,” he said. “To solve this, CAEL has been building our capacity to function as a trusted intermediary to bring together all niches of the workforce ecosystem. ACCE and its members are vital to this conversation.”

ACCE is the professional society supporting professionals who lead local, regional, statewide and international chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations. Its membership includes more than 1,600 business/civic organizations worldwide.

"Our partnership with CAEL will fuel the exchange of ideas and advance our collective work to support adult learners and workers and promote inclusive economic growth," said ACCE president and CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. “This is the latest in our efforts to connect members with likeminded stakeholders, including the International Economic Development Council, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, National Association of Workforce Boards and more.”

Heckman, along with CAEL vice president of strategic partnerships Bridgett Strickler, spoke at the ACCE Talent and Economic Development Annual Meeting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the ACCE annual convention in Dallas. The ACCE team will present at CAEL's annual conference (registration is now open), Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in New Orleans.