ETS Solutions, Jobs for the Future Labs, and AstrumU Partner To Transform Workforce Opportunities for 10M+ Skilled Career Seekers

The new initiative aims to put skills to work for 10M career seekers from communities with limited access to critical services

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PRINCETON, NJ, BELLEVUE, WA and BOSTON, MA (July 23, 2024) – ETS Solutions, serving governments, employers, and credentialing organizations within ETS a global education and talent solutions organization, Jobs for the Future (JFF) Labs, the innovation arm of JFF a national education and workforce development nonprofit focused on scalable equitable economic advancement, and AstrumU, a leading skills verification company with tools to enable the skills economy, announced today a collaborative initiative aiming to put skills to work for 10 million career seekers. With the chief goal to change the economic mobility trajectory of people from communities with limited access to critical services, the group will lead and conduct outcomes-based research on individualized career seekers' journeys, providing a direct view into today's diverse talent pipeline for employers and institutions to drive greater impact.

“The future of work is here,” said Michelle Froah, Global Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, SVP of Corporate Solutions at ETS. “We know that the talent of today and the jobs of tomorrow need a seamless path so career seekers have access and opportunity to secure the jobs that fit their in demand skill sets. By putting the power in employers and career seekers' hands, we’re powering human progress with proven measurement expertise, and robust, innovative talent solutions.”

The initiative will revolutionize economic advancement by connecting individuals to quality jobs through translation of skills. Together, ETS Solutions, Jobs for the Future’s innovation arm, JFFLabs, and AstrumU are tackling the economy’s $8.5T talent shortage through enabling the transparency of an individual’s skills. By combining ETS’s assessment and research expertise with AstrumU’s AI-backed skills verification platform, the outcome of this work will result in the creation of verified skills profiles to enhance the success of the individual, education organizations and employers across the ecosystem. 

David L. Steward, Founder and Chairman of World Wide Technology and Chairman of AstrumU said, “Talent is distributed equally, opportunity is not. That is true in rural America and in our urban centers. This partnership reflects our joint pledge to make talent and opportunity equal for all and improve workforce readiness across the nation. For me personally this reflects my personal commitment to finding an eternal return on investment in the spirit of, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.”

JFFLabs will lead the collaborative research and delivery process to unlock skills-outcomes insights that drive sustainable change. As the innovation arm of JFF, JFFLabs focuses on AI for the future of work, digital credentials, and innovations in capturing and translating skills. JFFLabs shares JFF’s North Star goal of helping 75 million people facing systemic barriers secure quality jobs by 2033. In partnership with ETS and AstrumU, the initiative will develop a new class of assessments and technology infrastructure to support a skills-based economy. JFFLabs will act as an intermediary across national networks, engaging employers, workforce leaders, national education providers, investors, and entrepreneurs to create a strong foundation for this partnership.

“We're committed to supporting the millions of people who have some college education but no degree, by leveraging new models and cutting-edge technology. Our JFFLabs team seeks to scale solutions for the many learners who are first-generation college students, or are learning while caring for dependents or working. Many also face major obstacles like holds on college transcripts due to financial challenges with paying tuition,” said Maria Flynn, CEO, JFF. “Empowering 10 million learners to take control over their educational and work records will foster continued learning and career advancement, ensuring they have the tools to succeed in a rapidly changing economy."

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About ETS

ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization enabling lifelong learners to be future ready. We advance the science of measurement to build the benchmarks for fair and valid skill assessment. We are committed to powering human progress by promoting skill proficiency, empowering upward mobility and unlocking more opportunities for everyone, everywhere. Our assessment products – including the TOEFL, TOEIC, GRE, and Praxis Assessments – as well as our innovative solutions and subsidiaries help 50 million people each year to clarify their strengths and find opportunities for growth in education, work and beyond. We continue to operate around the world, with offices in 25 locations and operations in 200 countries and territories. www.ets.org

About Jobs for the Future

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve equitable economic advancement for all. We do this by designing solutions, scaling best practices, influencing policy and action, and investing in innovation. As JFF’s innovation arm, JFFLabs drives innovation by providing market insights, incubating solutions, and investing in companies. The JFFLabs team fosters strategic partnerships with innovative technology providers, community business partners, and investors. jff.org

About AstrumU

AstrumU is the world’s leading skills verification company with an innovative AI data platform that enhances career opportunities by leveraging educational experiences along with learned and working skills. This data equips individuals with a Verified Skills Profile and Recommendations that enables them to maximize their strengths, providing recommendations toward opportunities that align with their passions and goals. This data also gives forward-thinking organizations a set of integrated Skills Measurement Tools to enable talent optimization, continued learning and career mobility at an individual level, delivering a greater return on education (ROE). AstrumU is dedicated to enabling a skills-based economy that levels the playing field for individuals, empowers education institutions with data and serves employers, government and enterprises to understand and support their people. https://astrumu.com/