Competency-Based Education Network

Over the past year, the Competency-Based Education Network (c-ben) has made substantial strides in fostering a competency and skills-first society by providing essential educational supports and resources. Our efforts are focused on creating equitable work-learn pathways for individuals and empowering educators with innovative tools and approaches. Our staff has grown from 3 to 9 full-time employees. This expansion enables c-ben to provide essential support to a growing range of projects and initiatives. Throughout the year, we have co-facilitated the american association of colleges of nursing Competency-Based essentials workshops nationwide, training over half of all colleges of nursing in the united states. These workshops have bolstered our market presence and contributed to the advancement of Competency-Based approaches to address national workforce shortages in nursing. We have expanded efforts to support learners through our work with the navajo nation. We have begun to create individualized employability development pathways aligned with available jobs, while helping these learners move toward financial independence and life autonomy. This work has been embraced by the navajo nation and its tribal colleges. We have continued our work with the state of Alabama on its talent triad, which aims to great a comprehensive skills-based talent marketplace to connect unemployed and under-employed alabamians to employment and Education opportunities. The innovative work in Alabama, supported by c-ben, is a model for other states. As an extension of prior work with the Kentucky community and technical college system, c-ben began supporting the state of Kentucky and its council for postsecondary Education to develop a statewide approach to graduate profile essential skills, set for completion in november 2024. C-ben is supporting Tennessee's innovative teacher apprenticeship program, which aims to address the teacher shortage through a zero-tuition Competency-Based pathway. This is a small sampling of the essential supports and resources c-ben is providing to institutions, states and employers with the outcomes benefitting all learners. Our annual cbexchange conference continues to attract significant attention, with the resources provided being hailed by academic institutions as the conference for all things competency-based, skills- first. The conference is a key event for networking and sharing advances in Competency-Based Education during the national push toward a skills-first economy. Additionally, the cbexchange asia pacific conference mirrored the success of its u.s. Counterpart, signaling our expanding global influence. Our competentu learning system, providing on-demand supports and resources through 15 courses across various Competency-Based Education topics, is designed to expand our reach and impact. These courses are available as part of two certificate programs or three microcertificates, each focusing on different aspects of Competency-Based Education. We have revamped our membership structure to enhance engagement and value for our members, aligning it with our conference registration process. This restructuring has led to smoother operations and improved member experience. There is also a no-cost membership option available. Our membership is comprised of large academic institutions, such as southern new hampshire university, capella university, and western governors university, to smaller liberal arts colleges. Additionally, we have experienced more states and employers engaging in the Network as they seek to address labor shortages and low labor force participation with skills-first, Competency-Based solutions. In summary, c-ben's operational advancements over the past year have solidified our position as a leader in the Competency-Based Education field. Our initiatives have not only expanded our organizational capacity but have also significantly contributed to our financial growth and stability. We remain committed to our mission of building and scaling effective Competency-Based educational models and look forward to continued progress in the years ahead.