What Are Digital Wallets in Higher Education? Cumberlands Explores LERs at SXSW EDU 2026

Dr. Sheena Lawson, associate professor at University of the Cumberlands, is helping position the university at the forefront of digital wallets in higher education and workforce development.

Recently, she joined Chad Lawson, institutional research analyst at Cumberlands, and Gregory Nadeau, senior manager of business development at Public Consulting Group, to present “Beyond the Resume: How Digital Wallets Bridge Learning and Work in Kentucky” at the SXSW EDU 2026 conference.

The session highlighted how learning and employment records (LERs) and digital credential wallets are reshaping how students present skills and how employers evaluate talent.

What Are Digital Wallets and Learning and Employment Records (LERs)?

At the center of the conversation is a shift away from traditional resumes toward verified, skills-based credentialing systems.

“A learning and employment record (LER) is a secure, digital record of a person’s verified skills, achievements, credentials, and work experiences,” explained Dr. Lawson. “Unlike a résumé (which is self-reported) or a transcript (which only shows courses and grades), an LER contains credentials that are securely verified by the issuing institution or employer and can be instantly authenticated.”

Traditional resumes often fail to capture the full scope of a learner’s abilities, and verifying self-reported information can be time consuming. Digital wallets and LERs address both challenges.

How Digital Wallets Transform Skill Verification

Digital wallets allow students and professionals to present:

• Verified micro credentials
• Standards aligned competencies
• Linked evidence of work and learning
• Portable, trusted profiles for employers

“This shifts the focus from basic resumes and unverified claims to verified proof of skill, streamlining hiring processes and increasing employer confidence,” said Dr. Lawson.

The model also gives learners greater ownership of their academic and professional records.

“What makes LERs especially powerful is that learners own and control them,” said Dr. Lawson. “Through a digital wallet, students can access their credentials anytime, almost like a digital trading card system.”

Each credential functions as a shareable, verifiable unit of achievement, reducing the need for transcripts, manual documentation, or repeated resume updates.

“This matters because it makes experience visible, portable, and actionable,” added Dr. Lawson. “Employers can verify skills quickly, and learners gain greater agency in how they present their qualifications.”

Cumberlands’ Role in Kentucky’s Digital Wallet Pilot

University of the Cumberlands is not just participating in the conversation. It is actively implementing solutions through the Kentucky Digital Wallet Pilot.

“Rather than theory alone, Cumberlands has operationalized LERs in the Kentucky Option 9 teacher apprenticeship pathway, issuing hundreds of verifiable credentials and enabling students to interact with digital wallets,” said Dr. Lawson.

As an institution serving rural and workforce challenged regions, Cumberlands brings practical insight into how digital credentialing can expand access and improve workforce readiness.

Key contributions from Cumberlands include:

• Practical understanding of apprenticeship documentation
• Feedback from candidates participating in micro credential iterations
• Insight into documentation challenges within licensure pipelines

“Cumberlands’ co presentation at SXSW highlights real data and lived implementation, not just theoretical benefits,” said Dr. Lawson. “These insights come from being inside the pilot rather than observing from the outside.”

Why Digital Wallets Matter for Students and Employers

The adoption of digital wallets and LERs aligns with a broader push toward skills-based hiring and outcome driven education.

For students, these tools provide:

• Clear visibility into completed competencies and remaining requirements
• Faster employer verification of skills
• Portable, learner-controlled documentation
• Reduced administrative burden

“This can reduce barriers to employment and give students more agency in demonstrating their readiness for the workforce,” said Dr. Lawson.

Digital wallets are particularly impactful for:

• Online learners
• Adult learners
• Career changers
• First generation students
• Workforce apprentices

“Each of these groups may lack traditional networks or clear documentation formats, so digital wallets offer a structured and equitable pathway,” said Dr. Lawson.

Enhancing Not Replacing the College Degree

Despite their growing importance, digital wallets are not a replacement for traditional education.

“Rather than replacing degrees, digital wallets help unpack and clarify them,” explained Dr. Lawson. “They highlight the individual competencies, milestones, and achievements that make up a degree, giving employers a deeper, verifiable understanding of what that degree represents in practice.”

Advancing Workforce Ready Education at Cumberlands

University of the Cumberlands continues to prioritize career preparedness, access, and measurable student outcomes. Its involvement in the digital wallet and LER movement strengthens those efforts by making learning more transparent, portable, and aligned with workforce needs.

By contributing to national conversations at events like SXSW EDU and implementing real world solutions in Kentucky, Cumberlands is helping shape how education connects to employment in a rapidly evolving digital economy.