The goal of ACES (Academic, Career & Employability Skills) is to support instructors in teaching the hard-to-define, yet make-or-break skills needed to succeed in the workplace, college, and community.
The Transitions Integration Framework (TIF) is the cornerstone of ACES, and it is one of three documents comprising the state-adopted content standards for Minnesota Adult Education. Visit the CCR Standards page to see how ACES fits into the broader content standards for ABE, including the College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS).
The TIF was designed to provide ABE programs and instructors with guidance on the effective integration of transitions skills (also known as soft skills or professional skills) into instruction at all levels of ABE.
The TIF includes six categories of skills:
Want more information on implementing the TIF in your own practice? Check out the ACES resource library!
Facilitated by the ACES Coordinator and Minnesota ABE teachers and administrators statewide, webinars are offered throughout the year to keep adult educators up to speed on ACES work and keep these important transitions skills fresh in educators’ minds. To increase their applicability, ACES webinars are often combined with other content areas and initiatives, such as the College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), Northstar Digital Literacy, and adult career pathways.
ATLAS also offers ACES-related workshops at Fall and Spring Regionals across Minnesota.
For information on upcoming opportunities, check the Events calendar.
Transitions 101: How does it all fit together?
The Transitions 101 webinar recording provides the basics of what is meant by “Transitions” in adult education. ATLAS and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) give an overview of relevant work and professional learning options around adult career pathways, IET, transitions to post-secondary entry, and more!
You can also use this Key Notes and Resources companion document to take notes and plan action steps for further professional development.
This free online course on the Canvas platform provides a thorough introduction on how to integrate academic, career, and employability skills (ACES) into your instructional context through the use of the Transitions Integration Framework (TIF). Participants can earn 6 CEUs for successful completion of the course.
ACES professional learning communities (PLCs) provide teachers with the opportunity to examine their roles as adult educators in a “transitions” landscape; explore and practice integrating transitions (TIF) skills into their lessons, materials and instructional settings; and work collaboratively with colleagues to reflect on and develop their teaching practice.
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PD Catalog
Starting July 1, the FY26 versions of ATLAS online courses will be available on Canvas with updated content to support your work in Minnesota Adult Education. Whether you're meeting state training requirements or looking to refresh your knowledge, now is a great time to explore what's new in ABE, ACES/TIF, and CCRS Foundations courses. Read More
The ACES/TIF Foundations course is designed to provide a thorough introduction on how to integrate academic, career, and employability skills (ACES) into your instructional context through the use of the Transitions Integration Framework (TIF). Fifteen Minnesota educators have completed the course in Canvas this school year and earned 6 CEUs – give them a round of applause, and consider joining them! Read More
Registration Deadline: WED. 7/16/25 WebChat with MN ABE is a webinar discussion led by state ABE staff from the Minnesota Department of Education. Web Chat webinars provide updates from the state ABE office on new and emerging issues and an opportunity for local ABE staff to ask questions… Learn More
Registration Deadline: MON. 7/21/25 Venue: Online (see details below) Vocabulary is everyone’s favorite reading component! And helping students master reading vocabulary is a key to helping them master comprehension. But how many words should you teach? And which words are the most important? What strategies are best for… Learn More
Registration Deadline: MON. 8/4/25 Venue: Online (see details below) Participants learn about Adult Basic Education programming in Minnesota, demographics of learners, instructional content standards as well as initial and on-going assessment. This session wraps up with learner motivations, barriers and persistence. Learn More
