Build smarter skills strategies with a partner who turns aspiration into action.
Learn how we succeed in this in our latest guide: Skills at Scale: A Practical Framework for Institutional Transformation.
Download Skills at Scale: A Practical Framework for Institutional Transformation
Most institutions don’t fail because they lack vision.
They fail because no one shows them how to get from idea to implementation.
A real-world roadmap to make skills-first education actually work
In this guide, we share how Unicon helps institutions succeed where so many skills-forward projects fail. We’ve developed a practical, four-phase framework to move from strategy to execution—designed for the complexity of educational systems, not against it. Inside,you'll find:
-
A proven framework for building a skills-forward strategy from the ground up
-
How to assess your readiness—technically, culturally, and organizationally
-
How to align your programs to labor market needs without losing academic integrity
-
Why most badging and CBE projects fail—and how to avoid it
-
Guidance on technology integration across LMS, SIS, and wallet systems
-
Case examples from higher ed, edtech, and workforce projects
Why skills-forward initiatives are hard to get right?
From political pushback to platform chaos, institutions face enormous hurdles when trying to build skills-first models that actually work. Here’s why many fail to launch—or fail to scale:
- Aspirational visions with no execution plan
- Disconnected tools and standards across the tech stack
- Resistance to cultural change and academic disruption
- No roadmap for stakeholder engagement or governance
- Weak business cases that stall at the CFO’s desk
Who should download this guide?
This white paper is designed for institutional leaders, technology teams, and strategy officers navigating the shift to skills-first learning, including:
-
Provosts and academic program leaders
-
CIOs, CTOs, and edtech strategists
-
LMS/SIS integration specialists
-
Strategic planning and workforce alignment teams
-
Foundations and nonprofits funding skills-forward transformation
-
Edtech vendors seeking to align their products with CBE and LER standards
“Skills-first education is not about handing out more badges. It’s about transforming how institutions define value - and helping them prove it to learners, funders, and employers."
Why now? The pressures driving the shift to skills-first models
Institutions across sectors are being pushed to demonstrate real value—often with fewer resources and rising accountability. A skills-forward strategy is no longer just a competitive advantage. It’s a necessity.
- Enrollment pressure. Learners expect ROI—and demand alignment between education and employment.
- Accreditation and compliance. Skills articulation is becoming a requirement, not a “nice-to-have.”
- Funder expectations. Grants and philanthropic capital increasingly require impact tracking through learner outcomes.
- Cultural urgency. The perceived value of a degree is under fire. Skills-first models are a way to prove relevance.
Ready to make skills-first more than a buzzword?
Fill out the form to download Skills at Scale: A Practical Framework for Institutional Transformation and learn how Unicon helps you move from vision to execution—with a strategy that fits your mission, your learners, and your reality.