Career-Focused Credentials Are Booming. We Need to Know What They’re Worth. - Michelle Van Noy and Kermit Kaleba, Governing

But this proliferation of credentials raises questions about their quality and value. Credential Engine reports that there are nearly 1 million credentials being offered in the U.S., only about 20 percent of which are traditional degrees awarded by colleges and universities. A lack of consistent, reliable quality standards for career-focused credentials makes it difficult for job seekers to select the right programs and for employers to assess whether credentials demonstrate specific skills and competencies. For their part, policymakers need better standards and more outcomes data to inform their efforts to expand financial aid and other support to help learners access the credentials they need.

https://www.governing.com/work/career-focused-credentials-are-booming-we-need-to-know-what-theyre-worth