WGU Launches Achievement Wallet to Help More Than Half a Million Students and Alumni Showcase Career-Ready Skills
The digital platform closes the gap between learning and employment, giving students and alumni control over their educational and career trajectories.
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 588,000 students and alumni at Western Governors University now have access to a powerful new tool to help them navigate and shape their career journeys: the WGU Achievement Wallet.
This innovative digital platform empowers learners to take ownership of their skills — tracking what they’ve gained through WGU coursework, on-the-job experience, military service, volunteer work or self-directed learning. Students can explore and see how their skills align with careers, identify any gaps and make informed plans to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving workforce.
The Achievement Wallet also streamlines the job application process by generating a résumé that highlights skills and verified digital credentials — ready to share with employers in just a few clicks.
"Too often, talent is overlooked because opportunity is tied to pedigree rather than proven skill,” said WGU President Scott Pulsipher. “The Achievement Wallet helps all learners verify and showcase the skills they've earned, whether through formal education, work, service or life experience. It’s a step toward a more equitable and inclusive talent economy that benefits learners and employers alike."
The WGU Achievement Wallet is based on technology developed by iQ4 and in partnership with iDatafy, Credential Engine and a coalition of leaders in education, technology and workforce development. The effort received support from the Gates Foundation,Walmart, and SkillsFWD, a funder collaborative administered by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, among others.
“The launch of the WGU Achievement Wallet is a major step forward in helping students turn their learning into real opportunity,” said Sean Murphy, director, Walmart.org. “By giving learners a simple way to collect and share their verified skills, WGU is showing how technology can put students in control of their own progress. This innovation doesn’t just benefit WGU — it offers a model for colleges and workforce systems across the country.”
The wallet innovates on other approaches to Learning and Employment Records, offering students a practical way to explore careers and match their capabilities with workforce needs.
“Employers are increasingly looking for clearer, more reliable ways to understand the skills candidates bring to the table,” said Taylor Hansen, executive director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “The Achievement Wallet launch at WGU is a major advancement in scaling that visibility. By helping learners translate their education into verified, shareable records, this effort builds a stronger bridge between talent and opportunity — and sets a powerful precedent for how institutions and employers can collaborate to modernize hiring.”
Students can collect, store and use a wide range of skills-based achievements in one place, including degrees, certificates, licenses, job experience, military training and self-attested credentials. With both verified and self-reported records, the wallet provides a comprehensive view of a user’s strengths.
It also acts as a compass, helping students explore occupations that match their skills, visualize academic and career pathways, and see what steps are needed to achieve their goals. As users identify gaps between current and desired skills, the wallet surfaces learning opportunities —offering clear, actionable routes to upskilling and credentialing.
In addition to current student and alumni access, WGU also made the wallet available to its nearly 10,000 employees. WGU also plans to provide access to prospective students in the future and to share its approach and findings with other higher education institutions.
A standout feature for students is the career exploration section, where they can map skills to real jobs, generate résumés and discover new opportunities.
Among early users:
• 87% found value in having all their career and education information in one place.
• 78% said seeing their skill gaps helped clarify how they qualify for certain jobs.
• 76% believe the Achievement Wallet will help them advance in their careers.
“I’ve already found value by being able to show my employer how my degree is aligning with my current position,” one student shared.
At WGU, innovation is always in service of student success. The Achievement Wallet is a meaningful step forward, giving students greater visibility into their progress and potential and helping them confidently pursue the future they imagine for themselves.
The findings, interpretations and conclusions in this release are solely those of WGU and do not represent positions or policies at Walmart.
Brooke Adams Western Governors University 3854284306 brooke.adams@wgu.edu
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