We’re designing education toward the future of work
Work with UsThe Lab works on the ground with 135 colleges, 60+ employers, 10 regions, and thousands of learners, who need education programs and pathways that better serve their futures.

It's a time of transformation
Education outcomes are being measured by competencies, not degrees.

The lines between school and work are blurring.
Colleges, and even high schools, are starting to unlock skills from degrees, making them more explicit to learners and employers.
Learners are in the driver’s seat, getting credit and skills from many different providers, and credit for learning wherever it happens.
We call this the Learner Revolution.
Our Areas of Work

Design Shorter and Stackable Pathways
- Lower-cost degrees
- “Earn and learn” programs
- Micro-credentials and pathways

Catalyze the Transition to Skills-based Hiring
- Translate degrees to employer competencies
- Assessments to test and build skills
- Validate micro-credentials with employers

Train for Human-centered Design + Change Management
- Immersive workshops for learning institutions
- User-centered research
- Rapid prototyping tools + training
- Innovation capacity diagnostic + training

Scale Solutions with Equity at the Center
- Communities of practice
- Product laboratory
- Innovator Network
Featured Clients + Partners
Sample Funders
Latest News from Our Innovator Network
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Four Insights from Employers: How Learning Providers Can Design Industry-aligned Pathways
A completed T-Profile by an employer partner In January 2021, the Community College Growth Engine Fund (CCGEF), a national initiative to build 18 employer-validated micro-pathways that connect low-wage and entry-level workers to in-demand jobs,…View Story -
Education Design Lab Launches Designers in Residence Program to Strengthen the Role of Colleges and Universities as Regional Catalysts
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February, 2021) – Education Design Lab, a national nonprofit and leader in the design, implementation, and scaling of new learning models for higher education and the future of work, today announced the launch…View Story

We are in the field bringing models to life that are more affordable, portable, relevant, and visible for learners.