Validate Prior Learning to Accelerate Employment Act

This bill aims to help people get jobs based on what they already know and can do. It tells states to work with employers, training providers, and colleges to create reliable skills assessments for adults and laid-off workers. These assessments could help someone earn a recognized credential or credit toward one, guide a personal job plan, and show their abilities to employers with skills-based resumes, profiles, or portfolios. States would also share information about these assessments—like who recognizes them and how people can access them—so job seekers and employers know what’s available.

The bill also supports employers who want to hire based on skills instead of college degrees. It allows states and local workforce programs to give technical help on using and validating assessments and to create clear, skills-based job descriptions. Local programs could offer competency-based assessments when people first come in or after they finish training or other learning experiences.

• Who is affected: Adults and laid-off workers using workforce services; employers; training providers and colleges; state and local workforce programs.
• What changes: Develop and use skills assessments; award credentials or credit for proven skills; build job plans around a person’s strengths; help people present skills to employers; support skills-based hiring and job descriptions; allow assessments at key points in training .