Council For Adult And Experiential Learning (CAEL)

The leader in linking learning and work, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) pursues work at all levels within the public and private sectors to enhance learning opportunities for adults around the world.

CAEL's Vision

Meaningful learning, credentials and work for every adult.

CAEL's Mission

They advocate and innovate on behalf of all adult learners, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances, to enhance their economic and educational opportunities. They do this in partnership with postsecondary institutions, employers, government, and communities. They conduct research and develop services and tools to expand opportunities for learning, employability, and career success.

At the start of 2016, postsecondary education has never been more important to individual adults, and employers and policy leaders also recognize how critical it is for their workforce to have higher level skills and a broader set of workplace competencies.

CAEL’s current vision statement is “meaningful learning, credentials, and work for every adult.” In practical terms, this means that CAEL is focused on implementing strategies – and leveraging their position as a national thought leader – to help the 36 million American adults without a postsecondary degree or credential, and particularly those with “some college, no degree.” These are individuals whose potential is cut short by a lack of skills and knowledge, and by the lack of a degree or credential to help them get ahead.

CAEL’s strategic plan reflects the various ways in which their work can realize our overall vision for the country. The plan presents their approaches for transforming institutions, employers, and other stakeholders, while also implementing an ambitious plan to grow the organization and dramatically increase CAEL’s impact on the success of the adult learner. Their strategic plan further relies on CAEL’s unique efforts to integrate activities across multiple sectors in order to create a well-functioning educational ecosystem for the adult learner. In total, their integrative approach to meeting their strategic goals will make a real difference in how many adults return to college, complete their degrees, and gain meaningful employment.