Oct. 19, 2026

What If Capability Became the Currency Instead of Credentials? - with Charlsey Pearce, CEO, MortarCAPS

Key Takeaways

Charlsey Pearce, CEO of MortarCAPS, joins the EdUp Experience to discuss the shift from traditional credentials to capability-based currencies.
Institutions face massive data integration challenges when trying to leverage artificial intelligence across hundreds of disparate systems without common data standards.
Traditional degrees often signal completion rather than demonstrating an individual's true capabilities and practical skills.
The emerging capability economy serves as a powerful counter-narrative to fears of AI taking all human jobs by focusing on expanding human potential.

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Charlsey Pearce, CEO, MortarCAPS

This episode is brought to you by Beyond Survival: Reporting from the Front Lines of Higher Education’s War for Relevance is a documentary account from the front lines of the most consequential upheaval in higher ed in generations!

This episode is sponsored by⁠ the MSCHE 2026 Annual Conference, where we will be podcasting live, keynoting, & facilitating a pre-conference workshop from December 9-11 in Philadelphia!

This episode is also sponsored by the ⁠InsightsEDU 2027⁠ Conference - focused on attracting & retaining the modern learner - where we will be podcasting live from February 23-25 in Phoenix, AZ! Use code EDUP & save $100! Early-bird pricing ends December 15, 2026!

YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Jodi Blinco

How does 1 institution with 1,221 systems speaking different languages ever leverage AI without a common data standard?
Why have we confused credentials with capability when a degree tells me something but doesn't tell me what you're actually capable of doing?
What makes the capability economy the counter narrative to AI taking all our jobs when human capability should be expanded not exposed?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Charlsey Pearce on The EdUp Experience?

Charlsey Pearce is the CEO of MortarCAPS, who joined the podcast to discuss how capability is becoming the new currency in education and the workforce instead of traditional credentials.

What is the capability economy in higher education?

The capability economy shifts the focus from what degree or credential a person holds to what they are actually capable of doing, serving as a counter-narrative to automation and AI job displacement.

Why is data standardization a challenge for higher education institutions using AI?

Many institutions struggle to leverage artificial intelligence effectively because they manage numerous systems that speak different languages without a common data standard.