This webinar will explore the Australian adult community education (ACE) landscape and discuss the important roles it plays in developing individual capabilities for study, work, and life. In recent years ACE has gained more prominence for its capacity to connect hard-to-reach learners into literacy and numeracy programs and preparatory and pre-accredited programs to pathway these learners into further training or employment. This research examined the effectiveness of ACE outcomes for these first-step learners in Victoria and Tasmania, Australia. Using Nussbaum’s Capabilities Framework, the paper argues for a broader view of ACE outcomes, incorporating both vocational and non-vocational skills.