Workcred Launches Resources for Integrating Industry Certifications into Associate Degrees: ECMC Foundation-Funded Initiative Produces Materials to Support Skills-Based Career Pathways

09/22/2025

As employers prioritize skills-based hiring, community colleges are finding ways to bridge the gap between education and career readiness. A new resource collection from ANSI-affiliate Workcred, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and the League for Innovation in the Community College (League for Innovation) demonstrates how these institutions can successfully prepare students for living-wage careers through pathways that integrate associate degrees and industry certifications.

Four comprehensive case studies, a playbook for community colleges, a guidebook for how certification + degree pathways can support accreditation, a set of recommendations for how certifications bodies can work with community colleges, and a blog series represent the culmination of a three-year ECMC Foundation grant awarded in 2022 and completed this year.

Four colleges—the Community College of Aurora, Kirkwood Community College, Delta College, and Moraine Valley Community College—were selected to develop and implement C+D pathways in information technology and health science programs while establishing sustainable, cost-effective processes that other institutions can adapt and scale. See more details in the case studies:

Building Credentialing Pathways Using Credit for Prior Learning: A Case Study about Delta College
Creating Credentialing Pathways in Behavioral Health: A Case Study about the Community College of Aurora
Designing Credentialing Pathways in IT: A Case Study about Kirkwood Community College
Medical Coding and Health Information Technology Pathways: A Case Study about Moraine Valley Community College

The partners also produced other practical resources for nationwide implementation, including:

A comprehensive playbook for community colleges implementing C+D pathways
A guidebook for how C+D pathways can support accreditation
Recommendations for how certification bodies can work with community colleges
Videos highlighting details of the project

Register for the October 15 Event

Join the Virtual Showcase

On October 15, Workcred and its partners will host a session highlighting project outcomes and successful pathway integration approaches.

The project creates a win-win for both students and employers, positioning graduates for career success while building a pipeline of ready, skilled workers.

“This three-year collaboration has produced resources that are actionable blueprints for transforming how community colleges prepare students for career success,” said Dr. Roy Swift, executive director of Workcred. “We’re proud to share practical tools that colleges nationwide can implement to bridge the skills gap and benefit both employers and the workforce across the nation.”

“The League for Innovation is proud to join with Workcred and partners in the C+D pathways project to lead the national conversation on creating clear, flexible, and workforce-aligned pathways for today’s learners,” The project’s resources, including a comprehensive playbook on C+D pathways, serve as practical tools for colleges and their partners, providing proven strategies to integrate certifications and degrees, remove barriers, and ensure that students can move seamlessly from learning to high-demand careers. The C+D pathways project is driving a model of innovation that benefits students, communities, and the economy alike.” said Dr. Rufus Glasper, president and CEO, League for Innovation in the Community College. “C+D pathways empower students to earn meaningful, stackable credentials as they progress toward their degrees, giving them a competitive edge in rapidly changing labor markets.

“We were very excited at Higher Learning Commission when we heard from Workcred and other participants such as the League for Innovation in the Community College,” said Dr. Barbara Gelman-Danley, HLC's president. “This is a perfect example of aligning the workforce to the academic outcomes in serving their communities; and the real benefit of leading toward a full degree, which we all know will add to the long-term quality of life for the individual student.”

Workcred Launches Resources for Integrating Industry Certifications into Associate Degrees: ECMC Foundation-Funded Initiative Produces Materials to Support Skills-Based Career Pathways

Register for the October 15 Event

Join the Virtual Showcase

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