Credentialing for 2030: Skills, Credit, and Mobility

Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Kevin Guthrie, President at ITHAKA; Chris Ferguson, Executive Vice Chancellor of Finance and Strategic Initiatives at California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office; Abby Snay, Deputy Secretary, Workforce Strategy at California Labor and Workforce Development Agency; Brenda Thames, President/CEO at El Camino College; and Anna Silk, Partner at BCG.Across the country, colleges and workforce systems have been rethinking how learning is recognized so students can receive credit for the skills they gain through work, military service, apprenticeships, and industry certifications. This session explored how expanding Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), aligning credentials with industry demand, and improving credit mobility and the portability of learning records across institutions and employers can create faster, more affordable pathways into high-demand careers—particularly for working adults.Drawing on lessons from California’s large-scale credentialing reforms and Ithaka’s strategic research on student mobility, credit transfer, and outcomes, speakers highlighted practical strategies, emerging models, and policy enablers that other states and systems can adapt to improve equity, reduce time to completion, and strengthen economic mobility.By examining how credentialing systems can evolve to better reflect real-world skills and learner mobility, this conversation showcased how colleges, workforce leaders, and policymakers are building more flexible, inclusive pathways to opportunity for the future of work.