Who We Are Founded with a grant from Lumina Foundation, the Quality Assurance Commons is a 501(c)3 nonprofit aiming to ensure all postsecondary learners are prepared for the rapidly changing world of work. Focused on eight Essential Employability Qualities (EEQs), the commons helps colleges work with employers in order to connect to their workforce needs. What We Do The QA Commons offers a suite of services to higher education, certificate, and apprenticeship programs inclusive of an Employability Self-Assessment, Capacity-Building Advisory, EEQ Certification, and a Faculty Employability Fellows program. Why We Do It The world of work is undergoing dramatic changes. As the world comes to terms with a new environment, attributes like adaptability are all the more important. With less structured environments, and roles and responsibilities that are increasingly less standardized, owning a set of hard skills is not enough to support a career. As is noted in LinkedIn's 2019 Talent Trends report, “In today’s world of software engineering and ever-more technology, it’s soft skills that employers want. 91% of companies cited this as an issue and 80% of companies are struggling to find better soft skills in the market.” Data consistently show differentiated results for first-generation and underrepresented groups in terms of completion, placement, salaries, and job longevity. The criteria and processes of The QA Commons are designed to help programs close these gaps. In participating in QA Commons programs, faculty and administrators are asked to prepare and examine disaggregated program completion, internship participation, and post-graduation employment student success data.