Edtech and Workforce Development News Roundup - 9/26
- Heather Harman
- Sep 26
- 4 min read
Our weekly roundup of education technology, workforce development, and venture capital news.
Recent education and workforce development trends reveal a shared emphasis on outcomes, equity, and adaptability. From edtech companies shifting their focus toward measurable student success and ROI, to innovative community-based models that blend historic preservation with modern industry needs, the sector is increasingly prioritizing practical results over traditional metrics. Additionally, the rise of micro-credentials and skills-based pathways underscores a move toward flexible, stackable credentials that align with evolving employer demands and support lifelong learning. Addressing disparities in access and success, especially for high-poverty students, remains a critical challenge, prompting solutions that leverage technology to personalize pathways and foster greater inclusion.
Why Outcomes, Not Features, Should Guide Every EdTech Decision – This episode of All Things Marketing and Education features Matthew Kennard, CEO of BetterLesson, who argues that edtech should stop chasing features and usage stats and instead align around two core goals: postsecondary readiness and clear ROI for districts. He explains how to shift to outcome-based professional learning, use the Guskey framework to evaluate impact, build resilient systems, and partner with districts amid tighter budgets and higher expectations. This conversation reframes marketing and product goals for edtech companies around measurable student outcomes, accountability for both vendors and leaders, and practical, budget-conscious steps to drive real change and better storytelling of impact.
Two Initiatives, One Mission: Reshaping Workforce Development – Both Michigan Central's Detroit train station redevelopment and the Emergent Campus in rural Florence, Colorado exemplify how workforce development can combine historic preservation with modern industry needs. They fuse experiential, project-based learning with ecosystem-building which links startups, educators, and local employers to accelerate mobility, advanced manufacturing, and tech-ready skills while retaining talent in place. Their hub-and-spoke models and close ties to regional strengths address geographic inequality, expand access to high-quality opportunities beyond urban centers, and create measurable economic impact through job creation, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning. For workforce development companies, these models offer scalable templates for revitalizing communities, aligning training with industry demand, and building sustainable pipelines of local talent.
Amid hiring freezes, HR leaders turn to internal mobility and upskilling – HR teams are shifting from external hiring to internal mobility and skills-based reskilling as hiring freezes tighten budgets. With quit rates around 2% and job growth stalling, many organizations plan to pause recruitment for extended periods and invest in change management and leadership training, while upskilling in digital, tech, cybersecurity, risk management, and people management. Edtech and workforce development firms can help by providing scalable online upskilling programs, micro-credentials, and career-path platforms that enable internal mobility, rapid reskilling, and targeted leadership development. These solutions support cost control, boost employee loyalty, and align workforce capabilities with shifting business priorities.
How microcredentials are fueling new workforce innovation – The episode of University Business podcast highlights how community colleges, led by initiatives like the Education Design Lab’s Growth Engine, are creating short, stackable microcredentials in IT, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing to form flexible “micropathways.” Each credential yields a verifiable digital badge and is increasingly used by four-year colleges to surface durable soft skills alongside technical ones. Policy shifts, such as expanded Pell Grants for short-term programs, are accelerating rapid, career-oriented training and the adoption of microcredential platforms and analytics, enabling faster routes to workforce outcomes. Edtech-enabled collaboration between higher education and employers is expanding co-created credentials, transparent skill records, and progress tracking across programs, with an emphasis on critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, alongside technical skills.
New Report Says Skills And Degrees Must Coexist – Public trust in higher education is rising, with 42% of Americans confident in colleges, despite a narrative that famous dropouts prove otherwise. ETS CEO Amit Sevak argues that higher education remains foundational for lifelong learning, critical thinking, and soft skills, beyond just degrees. The 2025 Human Progress Report shows over 80% view continuous learning as essential, and employers increasingly demand proven real-world skills alongside credentials. A shift to skills-based hiring, driven by AI, means degrees and alternative pathways (apprenticeships, boot camps, certificates) should be considered complementary in a broader, skills-based economy. More than 60% expect digital skill wallets and verified resumes by 2030. Sevak advocates a hybrid approach with stackable credentials, employer partnerships, and lifelong learning to keep higher education relevant and inclusive in a rapidly evolving job market.
The K12-to-college pipeline is rockier for high-poverty students – High-school socioeconomic gaps are widening into college completion and persistence, with only about a quarter of graduates from high-poverty schools earning an associate degree within six years and much higher completion among their wealthier peers. Edtech can help by providing personalized college-prep pathways, online and hybrid coursework that accelerates credit accrual, data-driven advising to identify and support at-risk students early, and scalable access to early college and dual-enrollment programs. Adaptive learning platforms, modular credentials, and career-aligned micro-credentials can offer affordable, flexible routes into postsecondary success, while virtual tutoring and financial-literacy tools can improve persistence and informed decision-making for students from all backgrounds.
As the education ecosystem continues to evolve, we have found that the common thread is a commitment to creating scalable, outcome-driven solutions that bridge gaps, enhance workforce readiness, and adapt to a rapidly changing economy. By focusing on measurable impact and fostering collaboration across sectors, stakeholders can build more resilient, equitable systems that prepare learners for the future.