State workforce and labor officials used the ad hoc meeting to explain how the Master Plan for Career Education will support credential validation and a digital career passport intended to connect training and employers.

Tony (Chancellor's Office/CWDB partner) and Abby Sneh (Labor Agency deputy secretary) outlined a two‑part approach: first, a credential registry and unified criteria to evaluate whether credentials respond to labor‑market demand and provide a return on investment; second, a digital career passport that will let students and incumbent workers present verified skills to employers.

Abby Sneh said the credential criteria will include documented employer demand, evidence of earnings gains or career advancement, program reliability (completion and placement rates) and safeguards against predatory providers. She tied that work to federal Workforce Pell rulemaking following HR1 and said states are expected to act as primary certifiers for eligible programs.

Why it matters: Workforce Pell would expand Pell grant eligibility to short‑term postsecondary workforce programs (150–600 hours) that lead to recognized credentials and demonstrably improve employment and earnings outcomes. State validation of credentials and credit‑for‑prior‑learning (CPL) pathways could allow many community college and noncredit programs to be eligible for Pell funding.

Program details and timing: Staff said the state received ongoing funding to stand up a coordinating council (AB 1098 and SB 638 were cited earlier in the meeting) and that workforce‑Pell certification work targets an initial state rollout on July 1 — with the caveat that full implementation will require phased policy and data work and is not expected to be complete on that date.

The discussion stressed employer engagement as central to design: staff plan to pilot alignment with CalHR and pursue conversations with industry groups (including SHRM) to ensure credential lists meet hiring needs and advance career mobility. WestEd is listed as a research partner for credential verification.

Board members asked how to make the passport useful to private employers and to adapt public‑sector job descriptions to skills‑based hiring. Staff pointed to ongoing collaborations with CalHR and Opportunity@Work initiatives to remove four‑year degree proxies where skill‑based evidence suffices.

Next steps: staff will continue data analysis, develop solicitations for the technology platform behind the passport and return with policy recommendations; community colleges and other providers will be engaged in pilot credential validation and CPL expansion.