AgriProspects Workforce Development Network to Host Webinar on the AgriProspects Marketplace
The AgriProspects Workforce Development Network will host a webinar on March 19, 2025, from 3 PM to 4 PM ET, to introduce the AgriProspects Marketplace, a new platform designed to connect U.S. Cooperative Extension System (CES) opportunities with the growing digital credential ecosystem.
Developed in partnership with Merit, the AgriProspects Marketplace is a multi-phase initiative aimed at bridging CES programming with digital credentialing systems used by learners, employers, agencies, and intermediaries. The webinar will provide an overview of the digital credential landscape and its relevance to Extension, introduce the first phase of the Marketplace—a clearinghouse of CES opportunities for adult agricultural workforce development—and explore future enhancements such as Learning and Employment Records (LERs), digital wallets, and learning management system (LMS) integrations.
“Extension has long been a leader in workforce development, and the AgriProspects Marketplace presents an exciting opportunity to align Extension programs with the evolving digital credential landscape,” said Dr. Jason Weigle, Program Manager for the AgriProspects Workforce Development Network. “The AgriProspects Marketplace is designed to make these connections clearer, ensuring that Extension’s impact in workforce development is fully recognized and utilized.”
Participants will also have the opportunity to experience receiving a digital credential and navigating a learning and employment record environment as part of the Marketplace demonstration.
About AgriProspects Workforce Development Network
AgriProspects is a USDA-NIFA-funded, five-year initiative focused on adult agriculture workforce development. The program seeks to foster regional cooperation, identify workforce ecosystem gaps, and provide adaptive solutions to local and regional employment challenges. Through AgriProspects, Extension professionals are working to increase awareness and access to skills-based training, credential attainment, and workforce preparedness.
The initiative is built on three key principles:
- Everything Extension does is workforce development
- Skills are the building blocks of success
- All learning counts
By leveraging Extension’s vast expertise, AgriProspects is working to expand workforce development resources, professional networking opportunities, and support services through innovative tools like the AgriProspects Marketplace and an online clearinghouse for Extension-led workforce programs.
About the Extension Foundation
The Extension Foundation is a nonprofit organization that serves as a strategic partner to the Cooperative Extension System, enhancing its capacity to address pressing community challenges through innovative programming and resources. The Foundation fosters collaboration by supporting the development and dissemination of research-based educational materials, leveraging technology and partnerships to reach audiences across the United States.
By promoting initiatives that drive engagement, workforce development, and social impact, the Foundation plays a critical role in modernizing Extension services. Its work enables local Extension professionals to better serve their communities, ensuring that relevant and timely information is accessible to those who need it most, ultimately contributing to the vitality and resilience of communities across the nation.
For more information about AgriProspects and its workforce development efforts, and registration for this event, visit https://agriprospects.extension.org.
