What We Do (and Don't) Know About Noncredit Workforce Programs - Gelsey Mehl, New America

The federal government, states, institutional leaders, and researchers are striving to understand the entirety of workforce offerings in the United States. But there is a huge blind spot: noncredit offerings. That’s why a team led by Michelle Van Noy of Rutgers University and Mark D’Amico of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, along with Peter Bahr of the University of Michigan and Di Xu of the University of California, Irvine, are investigating what data is available on noncredit programs in three states. There are a lot of noncredit offerings. The researchers counted 924 unique offerings at 15 community colleges in Iowa, 396 at 12 community colleges in Louisiana, and 6,045 across the 23 Virginia Community College System (VCCS) institutions. Most of these offerings are occupational trainings. 

https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/what-we-do-and-dont-know-about-noncredit-workforce-programs/

NY Jobs CEO Council

We are achieving our goals by:

Launching EverUp Micro-Credentials at CUNY. EverUp Micro-Credentials are 100-hour online intensives equipping CUNY students with in-demand skills. Micro-credentials are co-designed by CUNY faculty and subject matter experts from Jobs Council companies based on internship job specifications. Successful completers build and apply in-demand skills needed to land jobs and internships. Providing EverUp Micro-Credential Completer Benefits.

https://www.nyjobsceocouncil.org/what-we-do/

3 Keys to Making Microcredentials Valid for Learners, Schools, and Employers - Dave McCool, Campus Technology

None of these credentials, however, will be successful without answering the question of validity. Are the microcredentials offered credible and valuable in the marketplace, both to the learner and to the employer or institution? To answer this question, educational providers who seek to institute microcredentialing programs — and the learners that seek them out — need a framework for evaluating the quality of those programs to ensure that they are worth their time and effort. Here are three key factors of that framework.

https://campustechnology.com/Articles/2023/05/22/3-Keys-to-Making-Microcredentials-Valid-for-Learners-Schools-and-Employers.aspx

Rutgers to offer reduced tuition on high-quality training for professionals charged with improving accountability and transparency of state government - Yahoo Finance

Rutgers Business School and the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers (NASACT) are partnering to make two online graduate-level academic programs more accessible to NASACT members interested in academic training and professional development. Rutgers Business School will provide NASACT members reduced tuition of 25 percent on courses offered through the Online Master of Accountancy in Governmental Accounting Program and the Online Certificate in Government Financial Management Program. The incentives will be offered in the form of scholarships as part of a three-year pilot program

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rutgers-offer-reduced-tuition-high-130500775.html

Four trends in professional & continuing education - Rowena Clima, Continuum College University of Washington

The rise of alternative credentials, building partnerships with other higher education institutions, the adoption of digital tools to improve the student experience and navigating the new normal are four trending topics in professional and continuing education in 2023.

https://www.continuum.uw.edu/latest-news/articles/four-trends-professional-continuing-education-2023

Microcredentials - HKU Space Hong Kong

Stackability

Microcredentials are "stackable". Learners may accumulate them to earn a certificate or diploma. The awards will carry the title of Certificate / Diploma in Professional Practice or Certificate / Diploma in General Studies depending on the nature of the Microcredentials.

Flexibility

Most Microcredentials are short courses of about 30 contact hours, usually 6 or 9 credits, though a few are longer. They can be accumulated and are normally valid over a 5-year period. 

https://hkuspace.hku.hk/collection/microcredentials

Career Ready Micro-Certificate - FIU Adcademic and Student Affairs

What a great way to launch the FIU Career Ready Micro-Certificate! Yesterday the Office of Microcredentials along with several DASA and FIU departments discussed micro-credentials, badges, career development and more. There were giveaways and pizza…always irrestible to our students! Thanks to our partners Career and Talent Development, MITRE, QEP, the Ombuds Office, and the Financial Wellness Program for representing your programs yesterday.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkdkbphOq8I/

Google & Coursera Launch New Career Certificates That Prepare Students for Jobs in 2-6 Months: Business Intelligence & Advanced Data Analytics - Open Culture

First, the Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate builds on the original Data Analytics Certificate and “delves into machine learning, predictive modeling, and experimental design to collect and analyze large amounts of data.” Featuring seven courses in total, the program takes roughly six months to complete.... With the Google Business Intelligence Professional Certificate, students can participate in a shorter program that focuses on transforming data into actionable insights for organizations. Consisting of three courses (and lasting about two months), the program helps students learn skills like data modeling, data visualization, and dashboarding–skills that have wide applicability in our data-driven age.

https://www.openculture.com/2023/05/google-coursera-launch-new-career-certificates.html

Reasons Your Modern College Needs Modern Credentials Why - ModernThe traditional degree pathway is becoming less relevant to the modern learner every day, and so are the credentials they produce—often too generalized and not responsive enough to fulfil learner and employer needs. On top of this, degree pathways demand money and time that learners looking at traditional two-year programs frequently don’t have. This can be a challenge for community and technical colleges. The days of learners graduating and holding one job in a career are fast disappearing, and declining enrollments throughout higher education are signalling the need for change. Time and resources aren’t as abundant for the average college learner as we once thought, and the shifting labor market isn’t kind to those without postsecondary education. This need presents an exciting opportunity for transformation, though. The door opens for new structures and approaches that support outcomes-driven learning and credentialing. Colleges whose delivery models provide clear entry points for newcomers to postsecondary education—that lead to clear and sustainable career pathways—will have an enormous advantage over other institutions and education providers in the market. 22 Campus

The traditional degree pathway is becoming less relevant to the modern learner every day, and so are the credentials they produce—often too generalized and not responsive enough to fulfill learner and employer needs. On top of this, degree pathways demand money and time that learners looking at traditional two-year programs frequently don’t have. This can be a challenge for community and technical colleges. The days of learners graduating and

holding one job in a career are fast disappearing, and declining enrollments throughout higher education are signalling the need for change. Time and resources aren’t as abundant for the average college learner as we once thought, and the shifting labor market isn’t kind to those without postsecondary education.

https://resources.moderncampus.com/alternative-credentials/3-reasons-your-moder

Are universities the best place to earn micro-credentials? - Wan Chang Da, University World News

There are at least five specific objectives of learning through micro-credentials: acquisition of knowledge, acquisition of skills and-or competences, lifelong learning, life-wide learning, and employment preparation. The crucial question to consider therefore is: are universities capable of providing learning across these five diverse objectives of learning?

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20230509105615918

Scaling Up: Increasing Apprenticeship Programs - Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed

The City University of New York will add 12 apprenticeship programs to its associate degree programs starting this fall. The additional offerings will support hundreds of students across 10 CUNY colleges.  A $2 million investment from New York governor Kathy Hochul will expand apprenticeships for two-year-degree seekers at 10 CUNY colleges. New program offerings starting in this fall will support students with paid work experience, networking within their desired field and faculty mentors while keeping them on track toward degree completion.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/life-after-college/2023/05/09/scaling-increasing-apprenticeship-programs

Macro need for microcredentials: Get your dream job by sprucing up your resume - Ayesha Singh, New Indian Express

Coursera’s findings published in its recent report—Advancing Higher Education with Micro-Credentials—states that employers are recognising and valuing industry microcredentials, with 88 per cent of the respondents agreeing that a professional certificate strengthens a candidate’s application and 72 percent are more likely to hire a candidate who has earned a microcredentail, whereas 77 percent of employers are already using or actively exploring skills-based hiring. It’s not surprising then that the number of such courses offered by Coursera, edX, FutureLearn, etc. in 2022 rose to 2,500 from about 1,500 in 2021.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2023/may/07/macro-need-for-microcredentials-get-your-dream-job-by-sprucingup-your-resume-2572085.html

Google Introduces its Online Cybersecurity Certificate Program: Here’s More About it - Sidharth Joseph, the Tech Outlook

Google’s all-new Cybersecurity Certificate Program is built by Google’s own cybersecurity experts and is designed in such a way that no prior experience is needed for learners to enroll for the program. The program is 100% online and learners are free to learn at their own pace. The course is designed to equip learners with job-ready skills that are required in the field of cybersecurity and on successful completion, endless opportunities will await them in many leading companies and services.  The program is 100% online and learners are free to learn at their own pace. The course is designed to equip learners with job-ready skills that are required in the field of cybersecurity and on successful completion, endless opportunities will await them in many leading companies and services.

https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/web-social-media/google-introduces-its-online-cybersecurity-certificate-program-heres-more-about-it/

University of Limerick hosts round table discussion about micro-credentials -Cathal Doherty, LimerickLive

One of the intentions of micro-credentials is to enable employees to personalise their learning journey that supports their career goals. Chairperson of CIPD Mid-West Lavinia Ryan-Duggan says while micro-credentials don’t “replace other education offerings”, they can offer another choice for both employers and employees that can support their work-life balance and career choices.

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local-news/1163382/university-of-limerick-hosts-round-table-discussion-about-micro-credentials.html

Pricey college textbooks next on AI’s hit list? Professor says ChatGTP could replace them - WFIN

AI software like ChatGPT could be used to replace some university textbooks, transforming higher education and demanding a greater focus on critical thinking, a college professor told Fox News. “Certainly for an introductory undergraduate course, ChatGPT could be used to produce excellent course materials,” said Terence Day, a geography professor at Okanagan College in British Columbia. “Essentially, it could substitute for a textbook.”

https://wfin.com/fox-technology-news/pricey-college-textbooks-next-on-ais-hit-list-professor-says-chatgtp-could-replace-them/

Scholars, researchers seek innovative distance learning - Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan, the National Online Learning

The event was the inaugural conference of the Open Distance and E-Learning Association of Nigeria (ODeLAN), in collaboration with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The conference with the theme, “Global spaces, local contexts: Digital transformations and creative innovations in open distance and e-learning (ODeL)”, was attended by over 200 participants from and outside Nigeria from 40 institutions of higher learning. Delivering the keynote address, entitled, “Micro-credentialing as an acceptable model for open, distance and eLearning – A path to developing a policy framework”, the Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof.  Olufemi Peters, called for embracing micro-credentialing as an acceptable model for open, distance, and eLearning in Nigeria.

https://thenationonlineng.net/scholars-researchers-seek-innovative-distance-learning/

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills - qld.gov.au

Almost 150 participants have registered for a free seven-week Workforce Planning Course funded by the Queensland Government’s Jobs Queensland. The short-course helps small and medium sized businesses find the right people, with the right skill at the right time to support their business. The course is being delivered online and/or in person at the Caboolture and Sippy Downs campuses of University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) Helping small and medium sized business owners and managers develop an agile, flexible workforce plan is the aim of a free seven week course underway at the Caboolture and University of the Sunshine Coast’s (UniSC) Sippy Downs campuses .

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/97655

New plan promises experience outside the classroom will earn college credit in Delaware - Delaware ONline

Thousands of dollars and months of time could be shaved off university, college or other postsecondary education experience under a new state framework released Tuesday. The plan would allow certain skills, knowledge gathered outside the classroom to earn credits. The "Delaware Credit for Prior Learning Policy Framework" aims to guide Delaware's higher education institutions as they develop procedures for evaluating such experience, the Department of Education said in a press release. Credits could apply to college degree programs and more, while examples of this work include learning during military service or during apprenticeships. Students can receive credit for full courses, the department said, if "they can demonstrate they gained the equivalent knowledge and learning."

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/02/experience-outside-the-classroom-will-earn-college-credits-in-delaware/70174495007/

College students still struggling to stay enrolled, Gallup research finds - Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Higher Ed Dive

The organizations polled more than 6,000 students seeking a credential, as well as thousands of adults who either stopped out of college or never enrolled in the first place. Not only did 41% of students mull stopping out, but also those shares were higher for Black and Hispanic students — 43% and 52%, respectively. More than half of students who considered stopping out attributed their thinking to emotional stress. A little under half reported they were considering stopping due to personal mental health reasons, and just under 30% said it was because of college costs.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/college-students-still-struggling-to-stay-enrolled-gallup-research-finds/649247/

Micro-credentials can help unlock economic opportunity. - Jeff Maggioncalda, World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2023 forecasts that 61% of workers will require retraining between now and 2027.

A shifting labour market, enabled by digital connectivity, means employers are embracing skills-based hiring and micro-credentials to address skilled talent shortages at scale.

Skills-based learning can provide an equitable and fast-tracked path to new careers for job seekers while expanding and diversifying talent pipelines for employers.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/05/growth-summit-2023-4-ways-micro-credentials-skills-based-hiring-access-jobs/

Unlocking Success with The League of Entrepreneurs’ Micro-Credential Short Courses - Maxwell Ampong, News Ghana

From a Ghanaian perspective, colloquially referred to as ‘short courses’, micro-credentials present a unique opportunity for professionals to stay ahead of the curve. This educational trend has emerged in response to the dynamic nature of the modern workforce, where the shelf life of skills is dwindling, and the need for continuous learning is imperative. As a result, Ghanaians quickly realise the immense value of these ‘short courses’, enabling many people to acquire new competencies, hone existing ones, and keep pace with the ever-changing demands of the job market.

https://newsghana.com.gh/the-power-of-short-courses-unlocking-success-with-the-league-of-entrepreneurs-micro-credential-short-courses/

The Unmarked Potential of Lifelong Learning Across the Institution - Frederick Wherle, Illumination Modern Campus

Non-traditional credentials are beginning to get noticed by departments outside of CE, but oftentimes they’re creating this programming on the side of their desk. A centralized institution-wide approach to lifelong learning—lead by CE—is critical to deliver a modern learner experience. On this episode, Frederick Wehrle, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of California—Berkeley, discusses  the need for a consolidated administration to deliver a seamless lifelong learning experience that students demand.

https://moderncampus.com/podcast/episode-ninetyfour.html

Micro-credentials: their role in the economy and lifelong learning - Paul Grainger, FE News

In general qualifications, particularly vocational qualifications, are valuable things, much to be treasured by their possessor. How much good they do is variable. In what was is the content determined, how current are the skills, how does it integrate with economic activity? A further problem is how much learning is unnecessarily repeated to meet the formalities of the assessment process. Many of the vocational awarding bodies of the UK are the envy of the world, but they can be inflexible, needing due time for accreditation, and not always acknowledging existing learning and competence.

https://www.fenews.co.uk/exclusive/micro-credentials-their-role-in-the-economy-and-lifelong-learning/

Micro-credentials give students an employability edge at GETEX in Dubai - Anjana Kumar, Gulf News

“I have plans to learn more. The more variety we can add to our learning kit the better it is,” added Senalda, a graduate of GEMS Founders School in Dubai. Her friend Jess Anthony, 18, agrees. Jess, who finished home school from Wolsey Hall Oxford, was attending GETEX scouting for short courses that he can add to his portfolio. “I have done JavaScript; I’m also doing an internship in graphic design and video editing. The courses add a lot of impetus to our portfolios. It shows a potential employer our varied interests and capabilities. More so, these courses upskill students and make them attractive to potential employers,” he said.

https://gulfnews.com/uae/education/watch-micro-credentials-give-students-an-employability-edge-at-getex-in-dubai-1.95363599

Perceptions About the Tight U.S. Labor Market - George Lorenzo, Workforce Monitor

The labor market obviously has dramatic effects on our nation’s overall social and economic well-being on multiple levels. Understanding how the current, long-standing tight labor market has positively and dramatically impacted the lives of previously marginalized job seekers, gives us an informative window into how we can maintain such positivity well into the future.  A tight labor market is one marked by consistently low unemployment rates that result in many employers being challenged to maintain adequate staffing levels. Tight labor markets create new and enhanced hiring scenarios for job seekers who have typically been sidelined.

https://wfmonitor.com/2023/04/25/tight-labor-market/

NJ’s Cannabis Apprenticeship Training Initiative seeks apprentices - Rowan University

New Jersey’s Cannabis Apprenticeship Training Initiative—one of the nation’s first programs dedicated to training workers in the growing cannabis retail field—is gearing up to welcome its first group of 20 students this summer. A pilot program uniquely presented by a broad consortium committed to workforce development in the state, the Cannabis Apprenticeship Training Initiative will provide industry-specific training for employees in the cannabis retail sector. The apprenticeship program is unregistered because cannabis currently is not legal at the federal level.

https://today.rowan.edu/news/2023/04/cannabis-apprenticeship-program.html

Robotics In Energy – A New UH Micro-Credential Course - Rashda Khan, University of Houston

“A huge gap exists between the expertise of the current workforce and the dynamic growth in robotics and their capabilities,” said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at the University of Houston. “The workforce, now and in the future, needs to be really knowledgeable about technology – not only for optimal efficiency, but also to adapt to changing scenarios and innovate new solutions.” To address this skill gap challenge, UH’s Subsea Systems Institute (SSI), in collaboration with SPRINT Robotics – an internationally recognized not-for-profit organization, has developed a four-part series of micro-credentialing courses focused on robotics. UH, located the Energy Capital of the World, is perfectly positioned to bring together all the key elements needed for an impactful industry-focused robotics course.

https://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2023/april-2023/04192023-robotics-energy.php

Educators can learn more about economics through UNLV's 8-week, $35 economics microcredential - KTNV

The UNLV's Center for Business and Economic research will start their next economics microcredential for Clark County School District teachers on April 15. However, an official with UNLV said teachers are able to register until May 15 due to the nature of the class being online and asynchronous. The economics microcredential comes after a a legislative pass in 2017 that requires teaching of economics in classrooms. CBER said they saw a need to, "help teachers teach economics in the classroom." The class will be taught by a UNLV Lee Business School economics professor according to the college. The class is also said to meet once in person to provide further support of the materials and to learn specific activities.

https://www.ktnv.com/news/education/educators-can-learn-more-about-economics-through-unlvs-8-week-35-economics-microcredential

Autonomy, Microcredentials Address Need for Effective STEM Educators in Grant-funded Professional Learning Program Co-developed by Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor Gail Jones - Janine Bowen, NC State

“Gaining Retention and Effectiveness through Advancing Teacher-Centered STEM Professional Learning for STEM Elementary Teachers in Rural Communities” will provide teachers in high-need school districts with a professional learning program that includes teacher-identified learning needs and goals, competency-based online microcredentials, microcredential coaching and support, and teacher compensation and recognition for achievements. The project will be conducted in collaboration with Appalachian State University. The College of Education will receive $254,813 of the overall $993,814 in funding from the National Science Foundation. 

https://ced.ncsu.edu/news/2023/04/17/autonomy-microcredentials-address-need-for-effective-stem-educators-in-grant-funded-professional-learning-program-co-developed-by-alumni-distinguished-graduate-professor-gail-jones/

DCC Announces New Microcredential in Cannabis Retail Management - Dutchess Community College

Dutchess Community College unveiled a new Business program offering on Saturday during a Cannabis Workforce Initiative (CWI) event held in Greenspan Cafeteria. The Cannabis Retail Management microcredential will welcome its first cohort in fall 2023, with registration now officially open. What is a microcredential? Microcredentials are short, focused credentials designed to provide in-demand skills, know-how and experience. Stackable microcredentials can also provide a pathway to a certificate or full degree. The 13-credit microcredential will help students develop critical business skills in retail management, merchandising, storeroom operations, cost control, customer service and cannabis science.

https://www.sunydutchess.edu/about/facts/news/articles/cannabis-retail-management-microcredential.html

Silver Program Excellence Award Goes to St. Lawrence College

The silver winning entry, Integrating Digital Micro-Credentials into Correction Canada’s Learning Management System, is a partnership with the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to integrate self-guided digital micro-credentials into the learning management system at CSC. This is a brand-new learning opportunity and the first of its kind in Canada. Each micro-credential earned comes with a digital badge that can be shared with employers and added to a digital profile or portfolio. 

https://www.stlawrencecollege.ca/news/silver-program-excellence-award-goes-to-st-lawrence-college