California Launches Career Passports

As part of the Golden State's Master Plan for Career Education—which aims to connect Californians to high-paying, fulfilling careers, with or without a college degree—California Governor Gavin Newsom announced "career passports." The initiative follows the state's removal of certain educational requirements from almost 30,000 state jobs last December.

The program will combine academic records and verified work experience, military service, and training programs. The plan aims to create real-world pathways from the classroom to the workforce through initiatives such as expanding paid internships, streamlining funding, and allowing employer input on what skills they want prospective employees to have.

The Credit for Prior Learning plan, which allows workers to turn their work experience into college credit, will also benefit from the undertaking. Approximately 250,000 people are enrolled to shorten the time it takes to complete a college degree.