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About the Project

The ALIGN Project strengthens connections between higher education, industry, and learners by investigating how STEM microcredentials shape educational and career trajectories. Supported by the National Science Foundation and led by the University of Florida, this project engages students, educators, and employers to better understand how microcredentials can serve as flexible, credible pathways into the STEM workforce.

Project Goals

The ALIGN Project explores how STEM microcredentials can expand access to careers and strengthen the workforce. By connecting research, practice, and industry needs, ALIGN is building tools and insights that help learners succeed in a rapidly changing world.

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Focusing on Learner Pathways

Mapping how students pursue STEM opportunities and identifying supports that strengthen their success.

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Connecting Education & Industry

Aligning microcredentials with workforce expectations to support adaptability and career success.

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Building the Hub

Creating the Credential Hub as a central resource to simplify navigation of the evolving microcredential landscape.

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Strengthening the Ecosystem

Advancing the C3 Initiative to build a more flexible and scalable system that benefits learners, educators, and employers alike.

Project Timeline

The project is being developed in four phases. Phase 1 is now underway, focusing on designing and validating the Scale to establish a strong foundation for empirical research and theory-building around learner intentions and desired outcomes.

Phase 1

Designing and validating the Scale to establish a strong foundation.

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Project Tools

The ALIGN Project builds on and extends the C3 (Credential, Connection, Career) Initiative, which provides a foundation for aligning competencies with industry expectations while improving learners’ experiences. Together, the ALIGN Project and C3 advance skills-based education, learner-centered design, and workforce development strategies.

Over the next five years, this project will test and refine strategies that deliver actionable insights, strengthen educational outcomes, open more pathways into STEM careers, and create a scalable model for aligning microcredentials with workforce needs nationwide. Two key outcomes of this work are the ALIGN Scale and the Credential Hub.

The ALIGN Scale

he ALIGN Scale will be a validated instrument designed to capture the motivations, goals, and decision-making processes of prospective STEM microcredential learners. It seeks to generate new insights into how learners approach these pathways and lay the foundation for future research on STEM microcredential efficacy.

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The Credential Hub

The project team will collaborate with higher education and industry experts to build the Credential Hub as a central repository of career pathways, initiatives, and research findings. By aligning educational needs with industry expectations, the Credential Hub will strengthen stakeholder communities and simplify navigation of the evolving microcredential ecosystem.

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Meet the Team

The ALIGN Project is led by a dedicated team of researchers, educators, and professionals committed to advancing STEM microcredentials and strengthening pathways to meaningful careers.