CHICAGO, Nov. 18, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hundreds of leaders in education are in Baltimore today for the opening of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning's (CAEL) 2015 International Conference, CAEL CEO and President Pamela Tate announced. The event, "Where to Grow from Here: Scaling What Works for Adult Learners," features guest speakers, workshops, roundtable sessions, networking opportunities and social events all designed to determine how to best help adult learners.
"According to the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce, by 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require a college degree or postsecondary credential, which means that possessing a college degree is becoming a necessity. This conference is an opportunity for everyone in our community to come together to discuss and develop new strategies and approaches to help make degree completion a reality for everyone," said Tate.
CAEL's annual conference brings together more than 500 participants to learn, network, and work together to make lifelong learning accessible to adults around the world. Attendees include college faculty and administrators, HR professionals, workforce developers and representatives from labor and government.
This year, the workshops are organized thematically –
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
Competency-Based Education (CBE)
Programs for Military and Veterans
Attracting and Retaining Adult Learners
New Directions for Adult Learners: Research and Innovation
Today's opening luncheon features Ted Mitchell, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, who has served as Under Secretary since May 2014. Mitchell oversees policies, programs, and activities related to postsecondary education, adult, career and technical education and federal student aid. He also oversees five White House Initiatives—Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Educational Excellence for Hispanics, Educational Excellence for African Americans, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and American Indian and Alaska Native Education—and the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
"Some of the best recognized names in adult learning will be at this conference to discuss how to most effectively unlock opportunities for adult degree completion. This is the place to learn from these innovators, to network, and to exchange ideas. It really is the best opportunity to discover varied routes to graduation and continued success, and if you are a leader in higher education, you can't afford to miss it," concluded Tate.
For more information visit http://www.cael.org/events/cael-international-conference
The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization based in Chicago, Illinois that assists adults with their educational endeavors, finding practical ways to earn college credit for learning acquired through training and work experiences. CAEL works with the public sector, private sector industries and higher education institutions to ensure that adult students receive the most efficient training and education to occupy a meaningful professional place in a 21st century economy. Since 1974, CAEL has assisted colleges and universities in providing college credit for prior learning. CAEL is the recognized national expert on a method known as portfolio assessment, and their Ten Standards for Assessing Learning are used by colleges and universities, as well as accrediting organizations, across the country.