Education Design Lab’s Community College Growth Engine partners are invited to apply by April 10, 2026. A cohort of five colleges will be selected to co-design, implement, and scale AI-integrated work-based learning (WBL) experiences in partnership with employers, leveraging the Riipen platform and Education Design Lab’s human-centered design process.
RFP issued by: Education Design Lab
Technology partner: Riipen, a project-based learning platform helping institutions, organizations, and learners collaborate on real industry projects
Supported by: Google.org
Goal: This initiative will support a cohort of five colleges to co-design, implement, and scale AI-integrated work-based learning (WBL) experiences in partnership with employers, leveraging the Riipen platform and the Lab’s human-centered design process.
Application deadline: April 10, 2026
Information sessions: February 26 to March 13
Project period: Through August 31, 2027
Total awards: Five colleges will be selected to receive a $10,000 implementation grant and participate in a dynamic, facilitated design experience focused on integrating AI and durable skills into their programs. Participants will gain access to practical tools, expert guidance, and a vibrant national community of practice along with full access to Riipen’s work-based learning platform for both the college and its employer partners to accelerate real-world implementation.
Overview
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the global workforce, creating both unprecedented opportunity and significant disruption. While demand for AI-enabled roles has surged, a majority of workers remain unprepared to use generative AI safely, effectively, and creatively. At the same time, employers increasingly prioritize durable, human-centered skills such as problem-solving, communication, adaptability, and critical thinking alongside technical fluency with AI tools.
Community colleges are uniquely positioned to respond to this moment. As anchors of regional workforce development, they serve diverse learners and maintain close ties to local employers. To remain effective bridges to opportunity, colleges must evolve beyond traditional program design and integrate AI fluency, durable skills, and authentic work-based learning (WBL) experiences aligned with real-world industry needs.
To meet this moment, Education Design Lab invites community colleges to apply for participation in the AI + Durable Skills Work-Based Learning Design Challenge. This initiative will support a cohort of five colleges to co-design, implement, and scale AI-integrated WBL experiences in partnership with employers, leveraging the Riipen platform and the Lab’s human-centered design methodology.
Design Challenge Goals
Participating colleges will:
- Design or enhance career pathways by integrating AI, virtual work-based learning (WBL), technical skills, and durable skills.
- Embed high-quality, employer-aligned work-based learning experiences into existing or new programs leveraging the Riipen platform.
- Partner with employers to co-design real-world projects that reflect authentic workplace use cases for AI.
- Build institutional capacity to rapidly innovate curriculum in response to evolving workforce needs.
- Generate replicable, scalable models and design criteria that can be adopted nationally.
Learner volume expectations:
Each participating college will be required to embed AI-enabled, work-based learning into at least two existing or newly developed micro-pathways, serving a minimum of 50 learners in total during the program timeline. Institutions should describe how they will meet or exceed this participation target.
Platform alignment + employer onboarding:
All AI-integrated, work-based learning activities will be delivered through the Riipen platform. As such:
- Employer partners must be willing to onboard and actively utilize the Riipen platform.
- All project design, learner engagement, and employer feedback will occur within Riipen.
- Employers are expected to provide structured feedback and learner evaluation through the platform to support assessment and program evaluation.
Institutions should confirm employer willingness to meet these participation requirements.
Design Challenge Overview
Through a facilitated design process, the Lab will guide five colleges through a structured design arc focused on AI-enabled, work-based learning. Colleges will collaborate with employers to create WBL experiences that enable learners to apply AI tools within authentic workplace contexts while strengthening durable skills.
Work-based learning experiences will be deployed on the Riipen platform, where learners will complete employer-designed challenges aligned with real-world job tasks. These challenges may span multiple industries, including but not limited to healthcare, manufacturing, business operations, and information technology.
The Lab will leverage its existing relationships with colleges participating in the Community College Growth Engine (CCGE). These institutions have demonstrated readiness to engage in human-centered design and innovation processes and bring valuable experience embedding durable skills into curriculum design.
Design Process and Supports
Participating colleges will receive:
- A facilitated human-centered design process led by Education Design Lab.
- Structured milestones for employer engagement, curriculum design, and WBL implementation.
- Full access to the Riipen platform for the design, deployment, and management of AI-enabled work-based learning experiences, including employer onboarding support and project management tools.
- Access to frameworks, tools, and resources for integrating AI and durable skills into career pathways.
- Opportunities to participate in a national faculty and administrator community of practice.
- Optional integration of the Lab’s XCredit assessments and digital micro-credentials for durable skills.
Colleges may choose to:
- Design AI- or technology-specific career pathways, or
- Embed AI-focused WBL components into existing pathways in non-technical industries.
Employer partners will contribute by sharing real-world AI use cases, co-designing work-based learning projects, onboarding to and engaging through the Riipen platform, and providing structured feedback on learner performance and skill development.
Deliverables
By the conclusion of the design challenge, participating colleges will produce:
- At least two AI-integrated work-based learning experiences deployed on Riipen.
- Curriculum artifacts that embed AI and durable skills within a career pathway.
- Employer-validated project designs and learning outcomes.
- Learner work portfolios demonstrating applied skills for a minimum of 50 learners.
In addition, the Lab will develop and disseminate:
- Public-facing design criteria for AI-enabled WBL.
- An open-access library of tools, sample curricula, and best practices.
- Insights and proof points to inform national field-building efforts.
Selection Criteria
Five colleges will be selected through a competitive process. Colleges are not required to meet every criterion fully but should demonstrate readiness or progress toward the following:
- Engagement in the Lab’s network
Participation in the Community College Growth Engine (Growth Engine), indicating familiarity with human-centered design and innovation practices. - Leadership buy-in
Demonstrated support from institutional leadership to champion AI integration and work-based learning. - Employer partnerships
Existing relationships with employers willing to co-design and offer work-based learning experiences. - AI curriculum readiness
An existing AI-related curriculum or the capacity to develop and launch AI learning components quickly. - AI policy readiness
Institutional and employer AI policies in place or under development to support responsible AI use. - Experience with work-based learning
Prior experience with internships, apprenticeships, co-ops, or project-based learning. - Experience embedding durable skills
Demonstrated experience designing, assessing, or credentialing durable skills within programs.
The Lab will prioritize a diverse cohort of colleges, including institutions with limited capacity or resources that are often overlooked in national initiatives.
Outcomes and Evaluation
The design challenge will be evaluated using a mixed-methods framework, including:
Education outcomes
- Completion of AI technical and durable skills coursework.
- Successful completion of work-based learning projects.
- Learner-reported growth in skills, confidence, and agency.
Employment outcomes
- Employer satisfaction with WBL projects.
- Employer assessment of learner skill development.
- Perceived learner employability.
College outcomes
- Increased institutional capacity for innovation.
- Deeper and more sustained employer engagement.
- Expanded expertise in AI and work-based learning program design.
Funding and Stipends
A total of $50,000 is allocated for college re-grants. Each participating college will receive $10,000 to support:
- Faculty and staff participation on design teams.
- Curriculum development and employer engagement.
- Professional learning and implementation activities.
Project Timeline
Feb. 26, 2026: Project announcement + application release
April 10: Application deadline
For questions or to schedule an informational session, contact: Joseph Davis, Senior Education Designer [jdavis@eddesignlab.org]. Interested organizations and collaboratives are invited to join one of three information sessions:
About Education Design Lab
Education Design Lab (the Lab) is a national nonprofit and intermediary with a mission to co-design an inclusive, skills-based learn+work system that facilitates upward economic mobility and closes opportunity gaps for the New Majority Learner-Earner. Since 2013, the Lab has worked on the ground with over 1,200 colleges + organizations, 1,000 employers, and thousands of learners, who need education programs and pathways that better serve their futures.
About Riipen
Riipen is the world’s leading online work-based learning platform and ecosystem, aiming to end underemployment and close the skills gap. Riipen partners with governments, colleges, universities, and short-cycle training providers to provide authentic, accessible online training for employment-focused skills and technical/professional proficiency. To date, Riipen has successfully and proudly implemented more than 20.9 million learning hours for over 318,000 learner experiences with more than 53,000 employers and 760+ institutions in nine countries. Learn more at www.riipen.com.
