MoveAheadWithAdultEd Campaign Celebrates Four Year Anniversary

Adult Education supports adult learners and employers with 2025 workforce challenges

BRADENTON, FL, UNITED STATES, March 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- During the height of COVID-19, the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), the National Association of State Directors of Adult Education, and Full Capacity Marketing joined forces to launch a groundbreaking national campaign—#MoveAheadWithAdultEd. What began as a response to plummeting adult education enrollments has now blossomed into a transformative movement, celebrating its fourth year of empowering millions of adult learners with life-changing opportunities. With a focus on bridging critical skill gaps, this initiative is helping individuals unlock their potential while providing employers with the talent they need to thrive in an evolving economy.
Adult education is more than just learning—it’s about transformation. It provides individuals aged 16 and older with opportunities to earn high school equivalency diplomas, strengthen essential skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, and gain digital literacy and workforce training. For many, it’s a chance to achieve dreams: securing a sustainable job, pursuing higher education, or supporting their children's academic success.
Today’s workforce is at a crossroads, with a staggering 87% of companies struggling with skills shortages. A recent Forbes survey revealed that nearly half of employees' skills will become irrelevant by 2025, and 47% of executives believe their teams are unprepared for the future. This underscores the urgent need for upskilling, reskilling, and aligning training with industry demands—an area where adult education shines.
A shift is already underway. Employers are increasingly valuing skills over traditional credentials, recognizing that talent and potential go beyond degrees. This skills-based hiring approach is opening doors for individuals who once faced barriers to career advancement.
“Adult education is a powerful force for change,” says COABE CEO Sharon Bonney. “The 83,000 dedicated educators we represent, working across 2,000 local programs, are transforming lives every day. The #MoveAheadWithAdultEd campaign has connected millions of learners with the tools they need to build brighter futures. And through our sister campaign, Behind Every Employer, we’re linking businesses with the skilled workforce they need to grow.”
The impact of #MoveAheadWithAdultEd is being recognized on a global scale. The campaign has earned three prestigious awards, including two gold Davey Awards and a Stevie^® Award for Communications Campaign of the Year. Leveraging a Google Ads grant, the campaign has created a comprehensive toolkit for adult education providers, an interactive website, and a locator map to connect learners with programs in their communities.
“FCM’s work in the adult education arena has allowed us to become very familiar with adult learners and their characteristics, which supports us in developing campaigns that yield better results,” FCM CEO Celina Shands said. “That’s a big win for local education programs that want to run lead-generation campaigns in their area because we can help them connect with prospective students while delivering higher-than-average engagement rates at a lower cost.”
The results speak for themselves: over 9.74 million potential learners reached, nearly 400 daily website clicks, and 2,589 schools nationwide using campaign resources to amplify their outreach. Through the power of awareness, collaboration, and education, lives are being changed, and new opportunities are unfolding every day.
If you or someone you know could benefit from adult education, take the first step toward a brighter future by visiting www.MoveAheadWithAdultEd.org. Employers seeking skilled talent can connect with education providers at https://behindeveryemployer.org/. If you’re an adult education provider looking to expand your reach and impact, explore opportunities at https://coabe.org/moveahead-with-adult-ed/.
The future belongs to those who are willing to learn, grow, and move ahead. Let’s build it together!

Sharon Bonney
Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE)
+1 315-395-2789
email us here
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