About the AED National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL)

Education and employment represent two of the largest sectors of our society. On any given weekday, nearly half of the American population is either enrolled in a program of study, teaching others, or administering an educational program. Meanwhile, America's economy is driven by new ideas, emerging technologies, and one of the best-educated and most productive workforces in the world. The relationship between education and employment is complex, and their influence on each other is profound. Each has much to offer the other.

One of 23 centers of excellence within the Academy for Educational Development (AED), NIWL has a long history of working with people at all stages of development to make the most of the diverse learning opportunities that daily life presents. Taken together, our efforts seek to enhance educational development, career development, and personal development. NIWL helps:

1. People achieve personal and professional goals, enabling them to derive more satisfaction out of work, education, and life;
2. Organizations assess needs, build capacity, focus on continuous improvement, and collaborate effectively to provide better services in an efficient manner; and
3. Systems attain shared societal goals such as educational improvement, workplace productivity, economic growth, and community development.
   

NIWL collaborates with the relevant stakeholders to increase the participation of youth, parents, teachers, employers, organized labor, and community groups as well as federal, state, and local governments to foster more equitable relationships among all the constituencies involved in education and workforce development. NIWL works at the nexus of the education and employment systems, promoting their integration to ensure lifelong learning and productivity for all Americans. Our work is accomplished through a combination of research, program development and evaluation (using a "critical friend" approach), technical assistance, capacity building, training, and information sharing in three broad areas: School-to-Career, Teacher Professional Development, and Workforce Development.

Specific NIWL issue areas include: