Join Us in Accelerating the Skills First Movement
The Center for a Skills First Future helps employers put skills at the center of hiring and advancement—unlocking talent, fueling growth, and creating opportunity. We provide the tools, guidance, and shared language to make skills-first practices the standard.
Skills Action Planner
Skills Action Planner
Evaluate your organization’s progress in adopting a skills-first approach. Our interactive tool helps you identify strengths, gaps, and actionable steps to implement a skills-based approach effectively.
Resource Library
Resource Library
Access research, tools, and employer examples to implement and sustain skills-first talent strategies across the employee lifecycle.
Skills First Credential
Skills First Credential
Demonstrate expertise in skills-based workforce strategies. Equip yourself with the tools to drive impact across hiring, development, and retention.
Vendor Database
Vendor Database
Find vetted solutions and community support for skills-first implementations—from sourcing and assessment to upskilling and mobility.
Hear from Taylor Dunne, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation
Taylor Dunne of the San Diego Regional EDC shares how skills-first hiring gains real traction—by starting from within. In this spotlight, she emphasizes the power of aligning HR and technical teams, identifying internal champions, and rethinking how organizations recognize and value skills beyond traditional proxies.
Hear From Rose Sikder, OKTA
Rose Sikder, of OKTA explains how a skills-first approach unlocks potential in today’s workforce. In this inspiring message, she shares how leading with skills—not assumptions—helps businesses find untapped talent, support upward mobility, and future-proof their teams.
Hear from Steven Flenory, WB Games
Steven Flenory of WB Games shares why skills-first hiring isn’t just the future—it’s the now. In this short spotlight, he highlights how prioritizing skills over outdated proxies helps employers tap into overlooked talent, improve retention, and build stronger teams.
Hear from Josh Tarr of Workday
Josh Tarr of Workday shares how their internal gig program sparked a skills-first transformation. By focusing on real skills over résumés, Workday saw faster hiring, better candidate experiences, and stronger acceptance rates. His advice? Start small, use your data, and make skills a company-wide priority—not just an HR project.
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19x
Removing degree requirements unlocks 19x more candidates (JFF, 2023)
30%
Skills-first hiring reduces cost-per-hire by 30% (SHRM, 2023)
42%
Companies adopting skills- first decrease turnover by 42% (McKinsey, 2023)
Featured Resource
Overview
In August 2025, Workcred (affiliate of the American National Standards Institute - ANSI) announced a new research initiative to conduct a national analysis of non-degree credential attainment among college graduates, in collaboration with Strada Education Foundation. The project is studying the connection between degree and non-degree credentials (i.e., certifications, licenses, and certificates), and how these learning pathways together shape student outcomes and workforce readiness.
The research is leveraging data from the State Opportunity Index, a tool designed by Strada to help states advance pathways across five key areas:
- clear outcomes
- quality coaching
- affordability
- work-based learning
- employer alignment.
The Index offers data on non-degree credentials held by graduates from two-and four-year public institutions in all U.S. states.
The research study includes both descriptive and statistical analyses to explore how non-degree credentials intersect with student demographics, academic achievement, work-based learning, and post-graduation outcomes. Examples of research questions include:
- What percentage of college graduates hold non-degree credentials—and in which industries?
- How does credential attainment vary by race, gender, age, Pell status, and work-based learning participation?
- Are there state-level differences in credential uptake and outcomes?
- Do non-degree credentials influence employment, income, time-to-degree, or further education plans?
The project will publish its findings in a report to federal, state, and local stakeholders. This information will enable mapping the value of non-degree credentials and how they complement degree attainment.
Background
Decision makers in higher education and workforce policy need better information to strengthen the alignment between academic degrees, non-degree credentials, and employer needs. This research is designed to explore questions pertinent to more responsive, inclusive, and effective policies and programs.
Partners
Resources
PR Newswire Press Release: New Workcred Study Explores the Connection between Degree and Non-Degree Credentials Among College Graduates
ANSI Press Release: https://www.ansi.org/standards-news/all-news/8-19-25-new-workcred-study-explores-the-connection-between-degree-and-non-degree-credentials
Founding Investors
Founding Partners
