Home - The Workforce Ecosystem: Building Partnerships for Community Growth

This four-week asynchronous online course explores how employers, postsecondary education, community-based organizations, and workforce development entities can (and must) collaborate to provide high-quality job training to connect adult learners to family-sustaining careers. Ecosystem-wide partnerships are even more critical as the country experiences a significant increase in short-term occupational skills training programs tied to in-demand employment, particularly for historically underrepresented communities.

Course Objectives

Explore the roles of workforce development and postsecondary education to support increasing equity, skill development, resources and services, etc.
Examine key concepts related to workforce and economic development, including the Principles of a Healthy Workforce Ecosystem.
Explore higher education's role in the workforce ecosystem.
Develop and/or strengthen ecosystem partnerships.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for workforce development organizations, postsecondary education institutions and local, regional, and state governmental organizations to learn from each other and work together to grow communities.

Earning Your Certificate of Completion

To successfully complete this course and earn a certificate of completion, students must miss no more than 2 assignments.
All assignments must be submitted within two weeks of the course end date to count towards your certificate of completion.
Certificates of completion are emailed to successful students approximately three weeks after the final day of class.
An instructor is available to answer questions and provide feedback on homework assignments. Ensuring that all course material is read and assignments are submitted on time is the responsibility of the student.

Online Delivery

The workshop is four weeks long and offered online. It can be purchased by individuals or by organizations and institutions. A 15% discount is available for groups of 5 or more individuals attending from the same organization or institution school (registering at the same time).

Cohort Models & Customized Training

If you are interested in purchasing an interactive cohort model for up to 25 individuals for your organization or institution, please contact Doug Heckman, CAEL's VP of Partnerships at dheckman@cael.org to discuss our synchronous, virtual delivery options.

Cancellation Policy

Students who withdraw from the course within one week after the start of the course may request a full refund, minus a $150 processing fee.

Students who withdraw within two weeks after the start of the course may request to be re-enrolled in a future section for a $350 re-enrollment fee. Students who fail to re-enroll will forfeit their entire registration fee. All requests for refunds or re-enrollment must be made via email to your instructor and membershipservices@cael.org.

NAWDP Recertification

CAEL's instructor-led training counts towards recertification of NAWDP's CDWP credential! Hours spent in these courses will help participants gain job-relevant and future-ready knowledge towards NAWDP's five competencies:

Customer Service Methodology
Diversity in Workforce Development
Labor Market Information and Intelligence
Principles of Communication
Workforce Development Structure, Policies and Programs

Learn more about the value of becoming a credentialed workforce development professional and the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP)'s work to connect job seekers, educators, and companies to advance the American economy.

The Workforce Ecosystem:

Successful completion of this course will count as 8 hours of professional development in competencies 1,2,3 when applying for NAWDP's CWDP recertification.

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