Summer 2020 Newsletter

Online Community Platform for CAEL Members Launches

Members Will Enjoy Free Access to 2020 Annual Conference

Inclusive Development Network Holds Virtual Convening

CAEL, WICHE Partner on Research Brief Contextualizing Recognition of Prior Learning Within the COVID-19 Era - With a Sneak Peek at Findings From Forthcoming PLA Impact Study

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education to Host Regional Workforce Assemblies With CAEL

CAEL’s Commitment to Equity

Welcome New Members!

Upcoming League for Innovation in the Community College Summit Offers Member Discount

Grab a Cup of Coffee With CAEL!

Recent Blog Posts and Other Articles

How Can We Help?

Online Community Platform for CAEL Members Launches

We are excited to announce the official launch of caelCONNECT, a member-centered online community built so CAEL members can collaborate and share information on the topics important to them and their communities of practice, including assessment of prior learning, accelerated programs, and assessment of learning outcomes. You can even get the latest CAEL event updates, including conference and webinar announcements. Don't miss out on the conversation.

Thank you to our community platform committee members from Jarvis Christian College, Southern Oregon University, Arizona Western College, Guam Community College, Capella University, Rowan University, Collin College, Tarrant County College, Shasta College, and the Community College of Baltimore County. We appreciate your valuable insight, which was a great help with the development of caelCONNECT.

Members Will Enjoy Free Access to 2020 Annual Conference

As members of the CAEL community navigate the new realities of the COVID-19 era, they will still be able to convene at our annual conference. In fact, this year’s annual gathering of stakeholders dedicated to empowering adult learners will be entirely online and FREE for members. Although we’re disappointed we won’t be able to greet you in person, we look forward to engaging with you during our 2020 conference. For more information, go to conference.cael.org

Inclusive Development Network Holds Virtual Convening

From June 17-19, members of CAEL’s Inclusive Development Network (IDN) convened virtually. Originally scheduled to take place in Pensacola, Florida, the event drew about 50 participants representing the five IDN communities and several partner organizations. CAEL partnered with the consulting firm Ernst & Young and the International Economic Development Council to present relevant material to the IDN communities. The convening included speakers from the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Manufacturing Renaissance, the Madison Region Economic Partnership, GREATER MSP, Rutgers University’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, and Mosaic.

The IDN brings people together to promote new strategies for workforce development that include an equity and diversity lens. For example, IDN collaboration addresses the problem of many racial and ethnic groups being underrepresented in the economy or limited to certain industry sectors, particularly workers who are Black, Latino, or Native American. Working from an asset-based perspective, IDN participants think creatively about what focus populations bring as assets to industry and how inclusivity is not only good from a “societal” or ethical standpoint but also a sound business practice that supports the bottom line.

The convening kicked off with a structured cross-sharing discussion and community updates. Breakout sessions followed, offering expertise and best practices in building long-term plans, moving projects beyond planning and into actualization, funding, maintaining partnerships, and public engagement.

Diversity and inclusion was the point of focus on day two, which included panelists whose specialty was integrating diversity and inclusion efforts into their community in a wide variety of avenues, such as minorities in manufacturing, championing the business case for diversity and inclusion, and upholding these principles in entrepreneurship, surveys, and dashboards. The convening concluded with presentations and breakout sessions covering industry and equity marketing strategies, training methodologies, and sector initiatives. 

CAEL, WICHE Partner on Research Brief Contextualizing Recognition of Prior Learning Within the COVID-19 Era - With a Sneak Peek at Findings From Forthcoming PLA Impact Study

CAEL and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) have released a brief examining the recognition of prior learning and its potential as a time- and money-saving resource for students and displaced workers during the COVID-19 crisis. The brief is part of ongoing joint research by CAEL and WICHE made possible by funding from Lumina Foundation and Strada Education Network and contains a few high-level findings from their soon-to-be-released research report on the impact of PLA. A completed series of briefs, along with original research on the impact of prior learning assessment on student outcomes, will be released later this year. You can download the latest brief from the CAEL website.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education to Host Regional Workforce Assemblies With CAEL

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education Foundation, in collaboration with Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, will cohost a series of virtual Regional Workforce Assemblies with CAEL. The series will provide holistic forums where executives representing key industries can convene with academic and community leadership about increasing adult learner access to educational opportunities that further their careers and drive economic growth in Pennsylvania. The assemblies, which will launch this fall, are made possible by financial support from Lumina Foundation and Strada Education Network.

CAEL’s Commitment to Equity

There’s no question that improving access to lifelong learning can be an important contributor to social mobility. As workforce needs evolve rapidly, upskilling and reskilling are essential to capturing many quality career opportunities. However, we recognize the struggle for social justice takes place across a much broader landscape. We have added new details about our commitment to confront challenges related to race, color, ethnicity, and their impact on all adult learners.

Welcome New Members!

CAEL was honored to welcome its newest members, including 29 institutions that have joined since our last newsletter. They include:

• Air Education & Training Command
• Appalachian State University
• Athens State University
• Boise State University
• Central Maine Community College
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• Costa Mesa Campus
• Eastern Maine Community College
• Fayetteville State University
• Kennebec Valley Community College
• Lakewood College
• Maine Community College System
• Mercy College of Health Sciences
• National University
• North Carolina A&T State University
• North Carolina Central University
• Northern Maine Community College
• Rock Valley College
• Southeast Missouri State University
• Southern Maine Community Colleges
• Troy University
• UNC Charlotte
• UNC Greensboro
• UNC Pembroke
• Washington County Community College
• Western Carolina University
• Wheeling University
• York College of Pennsylvania
• York County Community College

We are thrilled to continue to grow our community as we collectively work to meet the needs of the adult learner.  

Upcoming League for Innovation in the Community College Summit Offers Member Discount

“The Cycle of Working Adult Learners: Removing Barriers and Building New Pathways,” a virtual learning summit that will be held Oct. 5-6, is now open for registration. Presented by the League for Innovation in the Community College in partnership with CAEL, the summit will feature workshops, learning and strategies centered on adult learners. CAEL members qualify for a member discount registration rate (a $100 savings). Register at league.org.

Grab a Cup of Coffee With CAEL!

We’re excited to offer a new engagement opportunity on caelCONNECT. “Coffee with CAEL” is a series of virtual, 30-minute member gatherings that offer the chance to enjoy some lively discussion about the topics that matter the most in the world of adult learning. Based on member feedback, our first conversation focused on how we can ensure that adult learners gain the skills they want and need as we shift our offerings due to COVID-19. Watch for more opportunities to add your voice in the conversation at caelCONNECT.

Recent Blog Posts and Other Articles

‘Conversations With CAEL’: Adult Learner Alphur Willock

New Great Plains IDEA Podcast Offers Faculty and Adult Learners Support With Distance Learning

Meeting Them Where They Are: the ‘Concierge’ Approach to Serving Adult Learners at CUNY CSI

Removing Barriers to Completion: How MCC Helps Students Finish What They Started

50 Years on, Innovation Is Going Strong: Bismarck State College and Workforce Learning

What's Next: Will the Pandemic Dampen Interest in Tuition Benefit Programs?

How Can We Help?

At CAEL, we link learning and work so that all adults have clear pathways to meaningful work. That means helping postsecondary institutions implement best practices for attracting and retaining adult learners and working with workforce and employment boards to illuminate clear paths to employment for their communities. We also support employers who want to give their employees stronger work-related skills.

With the current need for rapid re-employment, many of our conversations are taking place at the state level--how can state-wide credit for prior learning programs be implemented so adult learners get the appropriate credit for work-based learning, for example. If we can help you with your work supporting adult learners and getting our communities back to work, please contact us and we'll set up a time to talk.