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What is the Northeast Regional Prior Learning Assessment Consortium?

Northeast Regional Prior Learning Assessment Consortium (NERPLAC) is a collection of partners within higher educational institutions, workforce boards/career centers, employers and community-based organizations, listed below. North Shore Community College (NSCC) leads the cross-sector consortium with support and collaboration from the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF).

Learn more about our initiative

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What is Prior Learning Assessment?

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) gives Essex and Middlesex County residents the chance to earn college credit for prior learning and work experience by credentialing skills attained outside of the traditional classroom. Using PLA will:

  1. Reduce student costs by awarding credit for prior learning and skills learned on the job.
  2. Pave the way to higher paying jobs in a reduced amount of time by increasing students' professional skills.
  3. Allow students to achieve work-life balance between working and attending school through reducing the additional number of credits needed to earn a college degree.
  4. Boost college completion rates by making it easier to obtain a degree.
  5. Support lifelong learning through incentivizing continued education and skill building.
     

 

For more information, fill out an inquiry form or directly contact one of our colleges or partner agencies listed below.

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Endicott College
*Offering PLA at Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral levels

Gordon College
*Offering CLEP, AP Testing and Credit for Military only

Merrimack College

MIddlesex Community College

 Northern Essex Community College  North Shore Community College
 Salem State University
*Offering CLEP, AP Testing and Credit for Military only
UMass Lowell
*Offering CLEP, AP Testing and Credit for Military only
 

 

 

 

Workforce Boards 

North Shore Workforce Board | Career Center

Merrimack Valley Workforce Board | Valley Works Career Center

Greater Lowell Workforce Board | Career Center

 

Employers/Community-based Organizations

Behavioral Concepts (BCI)

Wellspring, Inc.

LEO, Inc.

Action, Inc.

 

For more information contact Rebecca Oliver at roliver@northshore.edu.

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