"Building A Talent Marketplace: How LERs Empower Workers and Expand Opportunity"
House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development
2025-12-10
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Source: Congress.gov
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The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will come to order. I note that a quorum is present. Without objections, the Chair is authorized to call recess at any time. In today's workforce, the hiring process is costly and extremely inefficient. This is especially the case with employers who are searching for workers with needed specialized skills. For workers, attempting to navigate the job market is now more complicated than ever, translating skills gained through education, training, and life experience into terms that employers understand is daunting. In this present era of innovation, which now includes the power of AI, we need smarter ways to connect job-seeker skills with employers' needs. Our economy is changing dramatically, and the way potential employees enter and engage with it must change, too. Education preparation and workforce placement innovation through the use of learning employment records is our future. With that, I'm going to start up a little video. This cut is one of the most important accomplishments of this Congress and possibly for generations. It puts money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans and remind us who we serve, families. But we cannot stop there. We must build on that momentum with a new data paradigm. a partnership of education, industry, and community designed to assure that every learner and worker has the opportunity to succeed. For students and lifelong learners, this changes everything. Coursework, certifications, apprenticeships, and real-world experiences are all captured in secure digital records. Each skill and competency is verified and portable. No one is reduced to a line on a resume. Every accomplishment is seen, valued, and ready to open doors. For employers, it means clarity and confidence. Real time labor market data reveals where talent is growing, what wages are trending, and which skills are in demand. Career pathways come into focus, making it easier to recruit, train, and retain the people who drive our economy.
Learning Employment Records, LERs, are the bridge. They connect the learner's proven abilities with the real needs of the workforce. Private, secure, and portable, LERs are powered by technology. Think of it as a transport interstate, an interoperable data highway, where information from states, schools, industries, and even federal programs all flow together. The job market becomes more transparent, unlocking opportunities that were once out of reach. For decades, education and workforce data were fragmented and outdated. That was the old paradigm. The new data paradigm replaces it with a universally trusted public-private system that connects learners, workers, and employers in real time. Opportunity now flows faster, more fairly, and more securely. In Utah, programs like Admit Utah capture this spirit of innovation. Think of an LAR like a digital thumb drive you carry in your pocket, except it's captured safely in the cloud. Instead of photos or files, it stores every class you've taken, every certification you've earned, and every skill you've proven. When you apply for a job, you can instantly share that complete verified record with an employer. No paperwork, no guesswork, Just proof of what you can do, ready to plug directly into opportunity. Opportunity that will grow with the potential integration of AI, allowing custom-tailored services for individuals and real-time data for the labor market. The new data paradigm empowering every American to turn learning into earning. As we shift away from the college-for-all mentality toward a skills-first approach, short-term credentials, work-based learning, and apprenticeships are on the rise. Key legislations like the enactment of the Workforce Pell Grants and the Republicans' recent Working Families Tax Cuts will further the growth of these alternative pathways. With over 1 million unique credentials available, pathways options for learners can be very confusing.
LERs are here to help to solve that problem. We give learners clear insight into the skills needed for the first job and what's needed to continue advancement in their careers. LERs will bring greater clarity to both sides of the labor market, helping workers identify opportunities and employers find the right talent. LERs are the future, but they're not enough on their own. When paired with transparent credential, registry, and skill-based job descriptions, They can power a talent marketplace where abilities, not pedigrees, drives opportunity.
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