Presented by:
- Jason Gildner, Principal Product Specialist, Instructure
- Dr. Michael Trest, VP of Innovation & Instructional Design, Jones County Jr. College
Date & Location:
Wednesday, July 22nd at 3:25pm - 4:05pm Room: [To be announced—check the official agenda for room assignment!]
Session Description
In partnership with Jones College’s Online Workforce College, this session explores how skills-based badging addresses the "skills recognition problem" by bridging the gap between learning and upward mobility in rural regions. Discover how institutions can use agile, skills-based badging to turn quiet potential into visible capability. You’ll leave with a clear framework for creating digital pathways that empower learners to advocate for themselves and build momentum toward opportunities that once felt out of reach.
What this session is really about
Let’s reframe how we talk about workforce development. Too often, the conversation automatically defaults to fixing a "skills gap"—the assumption being that learners simply don't have what it takes to succeed. But what if the problem isn’t a lack of talent, but a lack of visibility?
In many rural communities and non-traditional student populations, learners are acquiring massive, market-relevant capabilities every single day. However, because they might not have a full two- or four-year degree completed just yet, those vital skills remain totally invisible to employers.
This session is a human-centered look at tackling the "skills recognition problem" head-on. We are completely skipping the standard, dry tech-feature walkthrough. Instead, we’re hosting a practical discussion with Dr. Michael Trest to dissect Jones College’s exact workforce education model. You'll see a real-world example of how agile digital badges can beautifully reinforce traditional credentials rather than trying to replace them.
We will talk about how to map out clear, bite-sized learning pathways and how to equip students with the digital proof and language they need to fiercely advocate for themselves in the job market. We aren't sugarcoating it either—we’ll explicitly address the hard questions around employer validation, badging credibility, and internal change management.
The big takeaway from this session? When you see how a learner’s quiet momentum is unlocked and transformed into visible, portable evidence of readiness. You’ll walk away with a highly replicable institutional model you can copy and start applying immediately.
This one's for you if…
- You are a higher education leader, continuing education program director, or workforce development strategist trying to build tighter, clearer pipelines to local employment.
- Your institution serves rural or non-traditional learners, and you need agile ways to quickly document and validate emerging skills as local workforce needs evolve.
- You want an actionable, human-centered framework for skills recognition rather than just a sales pitch on badging technology.
- Have you ever wondered: "How do we make sure local employers actually trust and validate our digital credentials?"
See you in Louisville!
We are counting down the days until we can dive into this discussion with you all!
To help us tailor our live audience discussion prompts, let’s get the ball rolling early in the comments section below:
What is one critical, workforce-ready skill your learners are gaining at your institution right now that is currently completely invisible to the outside world ? Or, where do you feel your local workforce pathways are breaking down the most?
Drop your insights, current challenges, or badging questions below. We’ll be checking in and incorporating your real-world scenarios into our live polling!
(And don't forget to swing by the Instructure booth or product showcase area in the Expo Hall after we finish to keep the conversation going with the Instructure and Jones College teams!)
