Western Governors University Acquires Craft Education to Advance Work-Based Learning Pathways

• By Rhea Kelly
• 09/12/24

Western Governors University has announced the acquisition of Craft Education, an ed tech platform for managing job training aligned with degree programs and work-ready skills. The move represents "the acceleration of [WGU's] endeavor to develop, launch, and scale work-based learning pathways, a vital next phase in its mission to change lives for the better by transforming education to better serve untapped talent and meet employer needs," the institution explained in a news release.

The acquisition will support WGU's expansion of apprenticeship and other work-based programs alongside its existing degree and certificate offerings. WGU plans to retain the Craft Education name as a new nonprofit operating division, it said, which "will focus on developing the ecosystem platform for enabling work-based pathways across higher education and employer partners, including WGU." WGU also said it will establish an academic department within the university to develop work-based programs across its schools of education, health, technology and business.

"Combining Craft with WGU represents a step-function advancement in our mission and pace of innovation to improve quality, access, equity, and outcomes in education relevant to the world of work," said WGU President Scott Pulsipher, in a statement. "While WGU's current model serves many, there are so many more who are acquiring knowledge and skill through work. Work-based learning, leveraging our competency-based approach, is the future of pathways to both activate talent from everywhere and meet the strategic workforce needs of the future." 

"We are seeking to build the best work-based learning pathways in the country, modeling for other higher education institutions how to connect learning and work at scale," commented Courtney Hills McBeth, WGU's chief academic officer and provost. "Our investment will turbocharge this initiative and extend our innovative approach to linking students to careers and improving student outcomes, while demonstrating our leadership at the frontier of creating more pathways to opportunity." 

"Craft unlocks in-demand careers for America's frontline workforce. By automating the necessary data collection and reporting, this platform allows organizations to braid federal funding and postsecondary training together with on-the-job pathways that fill skilled labor vacancies," said Craft CEO and founder Mallory Dwinal-Palisch, who will serve as executive director of the new division at WGU. "As a part of the WGU ecosystem, Craft will create a win-win for the tens of millions of American workers seeking affordable, job-embedded training solutions and the employers that need their skilled talent."