How micro-credentials are helping higher ed master the post-COVID moment.- Matt Zalaznick, University Business

Digital badges allow students to promote themselves with richer information about their new competencies. As micro-credentials take hold across higher ed, “soft skills” such as communication and creativity are now as central to instruction as are the technical skills taught in these professional pathways. The driving force behind the rise of micro-credentials is two-fold. One, they provide paths for professionals and traditional students to add new skills at an accelerated and more affordable pace. Secondly, the digital credentials and badges awarded give employers richer information about the specific skills a student has acquired.

https://universitybusiness.com/micro-credentials-digital-badges-higher-ed-master-post-covid-moment/

Colorado embraces “apprenticeships,” re-tooling college to meet company needs - Bruce Finley, Denver Post

U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, touring MSU Denver’s industry-oriented advanced manufacturing labs with state leaders on Wednesday, announced that the federal government will invest $113 million to expand on-the-job learning nationwide as part of college studies. “Colorado is leading the way,” Walsh said, nodding to Polis and praising MSU Denver president Janine Davidson and Colorado higher education director Angie Paccione for their leadership.

https://www.denverpost.com/2022/02/24/colorado-apprenticeships-workforce-training-college/

Funding for two new micro-credentialing programs awarded to Queen’s - Eddie Daniels, Queens University

 An award of more than $500,000 by the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund will propel two new micro-credentialing programs at Queen’s this coming fall. The funding will help create a certificate in both the Smith School of Business and Centre for Neuroscience Studies (CNS). The Certificate in Indigenous Leadership, Innovation, and Management is being developed by Smith in partnership with Redbird Circle Inc., a Certified Aboriginal Business that provides holistic education and training rooted in Indigenous pedagogy and western learning methodologies.

https://www.queensu.ca/gazette/stories/funding-two-new-micro-credentialing-programs-awarded-queen-s

MOOC platforms shut off access to Russian content - Natalie Schwartz, Higher Ed Dive

Coursera and edX, whose MOOC platforms collectively serve some 140 million users, are each suspending content from their Russian university and industry partners on humanitarian grounds following the country's invasion of Ukraine.  Both companies are also stepping up their support for Ukraine by allowing the country's higher education institutions to freely access services that let colleges incorporate the MOOC platforms' content into their classes, edX and Coursera announced last week.  Udemy, another prominent MOOC platform, also said it is not pursuing any new enterprise relationships in the Russia and Belarus regions. 

https://www.highereddive.com/news/mooc-platforms-shut-off-access-to-russian-content/620064/

Athabasca University Partners to Launch Canada’s First AI Ethics Microcredentials - Eminetra Canada

PowerED, an entrepreneurial unit at Athabasca University, and Ethically Aligned AI, a social company founded to help businesses develop responsible AI, have launched Canada’s first microcredentials in AI ethics.  Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Micro Credentials Is a four-course program that provides the basic skills needed to address issues related to the ethical development of AI systems.

https://eminetracanada.com/athabasca-university-partners-to-launch-canadas-first-ai-ethics-microcredentials/424529/

Trying to give students in low-wage majors some extra skills they can cash in on - OLIVIA SANCHEZ, Hechinger Report

The University of Texas System is piloting a program to insert workplace skills valued by employers into the four-year curriculum, in an effort to boost earnings for alumni of the majors that typically make the lowest salaries.  These microcredentials might range from digital skills to data analysis to business skills such as project management, said Lydia Riley, the UT system’s director of academic affairs. The eight colleges will decide in a few more weeks, she said, and the credentials should be available to students next fall.

https://hechingerreport.org/trying-to-give-students-in-low-wage-majors-some-extra-skills-they-can-cash-in-on/

The most popular programming languages and where to learn them - Larry Dignan, ZDnet

The new normal of work will bring a lot of changes, but one enduring theme is going to be upskilling and learning new programming language tricks. Here's a look at the top programming languages based on a sampling of surveys from RedMonk, Tiobe, and SlashData and places where you can hone skills or acquire them new. Most of these courses are available for free or with a subscription. Some may be available via corporate programs from your employer.

https://www.zdnet.com/education/computers-tech/best-programming-language/

Google launching job training, placement initiative through $100M career certificates fund - Brooke Singman, FOXBusiness

Google is launching an initiative that it says will help more than 20,000 Americans with job training and placement through its $100 million Google Career Certificates Fund. Google CEO Sundar Pichai and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced Thursday the launch of a $100 million Google Career Certificates Fund, which aims to drive $1 billion in aggregate wage gains. Google says the program will "equip people with job-ready skills in fields like Data Analytics, IT Support, Project Management, and UX Design with 3-6 months — with no degree or experience required."

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/google-job-training-placement-initiative-career-certificates-fund

A Growing Digital Skills Crisis: A Majority of the Workforce Feels Unprepared - IBL News

A survey conducted by Salesforce last month based on 23,000+ workers across 19 countries reveals a growing digital skills crisis. The pandemic has accelerated this gap, addressing the need for a digital transformation. In addition, it has given businesses a unique opportunity to rethink how they connect with their employees, customers, and communities. In the research, a total of 76% of global workers say that they feel unequipped and unprepared to operate in a digital-first world. However, only 28% of them are actively seeking skills training, according to Salesforce’s 2022 Global Digital Skills Index survey.

https://iblnews.org/a-growing-digital-skills-crisis-a-majority-of-the-workforce-feels-unprepared/

NFTs in education: Heading to the top of the class? - Tim Sandle, Digital Journal

Is this a fad or is there a future for NFTs in the education space? Can something like an NFT add value to teachers and students? One company branching out into new territory is Preply (an Online Learning Platform). The company is using NFTs in the education space, as an Edtech innovation. Pepperdine's Beau Brennan  calls these “academic tokens” and insists they do not have a direct monetary value. Instead, they prove the student has passed the course and contain unique details about how well the student did and information about the class and syllabus. An alternative option is with issuing NFTs as credentials. For example, Duke University has provided educational credentials as NFTs for its Master of Engineering in Financial Technology degree.

https://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-science/nfts-in-education-heading-to-the-top-of-the-class/article#ixzz7KJYhG1nF

Governor Hochul Announces Expansion of SUNY Microcredentials for In-Demand Job Fields - Office of NY Governor Hochul

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the expansion of fast and flexible learning options with more than 400 microcredentials across 31 SUNY campuses to help everyone from current students to working professionals gain skills, knowledge, and experience that employers are looking for. Microcredentials are designed to be completed in a shorter timeframe than a college degree, taking one or two semesters, not years, to complete, and providing immediate evidence of skills mastered via a college transcript or digital badge.

https://www.suny.edu/suny-news/press-releases/2-22/2-15-22/microcredentials.html

UMSL joining with St. Louis Fed to offer graduate certificate program in personal finance for educators

 The University of Missouri–St. Louis is joining with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to offer secondary school teachers a graduate certificate in personal finance aimed at helping to improve the quality of personal finance instruction throughout Missouri. The program requires 12 hours of in-person and online graduate credit coursework over one year. Instruction begins with an in-person seminar June 6-10 at the St. Louis Fed’s downtown office and continues online throughout the academic year starting in September.

https://blogs.umsl.edu/news/2022/02/14/certificate-program-personal-finance-education/

6 companies offering free tuition to employees, from Dollywood to Starbucks - Morgan Smith, CNBC

Just last week Herschend Enterprises, which oversees Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park and resort, announced that they will cover the full cost of tuition, fees and books for employees who want to further their education starting Feb. 24. The initiative, called GROW U, covers about 11,000 employees across Herschend’s 25 U.S. attractions including the Harlem Globetrotters, New Jersey’s Adventure Aquarium and Kentucky Kingdom. All seasonal, part-time and full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the program starting on their first day at work. Workers can choose between different diploma, degree and certificate programs in a wide range of subjects such as business administration and leadership, finance, marketing, technology and culinary studies. Courses are listed through Guild Education, an online platform that Fortune 100 companies such as Walmart and Disney have partnered with to design their own education benefit programs. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/dolly-partons-dollywood-is-the-latest-company-to-offer-free-tuition.html

Micro-credentials: The new face of continuing education - Charline Osborne, the Fulcrum

Though the term “micro-credential” is relatively new, the concept of pursuing additional education to “skill up” after graduation will be familiar to most. Micro-credentials formalize continuous learning to help professionals market their skills and meet changing industry needs. Some micro-credentials are offered through post-secondary institutions, while others are awarded by private companies like Cisco, Amazon, and IBM. They differ from a traditional degree or certificate because they are much shorter and more specialized. The work typically ranges between six hours to a couple of weeks, though some micro-credentials may take months to complete. The focus is usually on quickly acquiring practical skills directly related to a specific job. These credentials are usually offered virtually and can be completed at a student’s own pace, though some institutions offer micro-credentials on campus.

https://thefulcrum.ca/features/micro-credentials-the-new-face-of-continuing-education/

The Credential Finder is a tool for exploring all of the information published to the Credential Registry

Discover and compare credential opportunities, build widgets, and access our linked open data network for timely and trusted information about credentials including competencies and education and career pathways. Here you can explore the Credential Registry to understand how data that you and others contribute can be used to fuel the creation of services and tools that allow students, employers, and workers to compare credentials and choose the best option.

https://credentialfinder.org/

The Micro-Evaluator. A tool for recognising micro-credentials - Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education)

Micro-evaluator - A tool for evaluating micro-credentials. You're an admission officer, credential evaluator, or maybe you're just curious about the recognition of micro-credentials. This tool will support effective recognition procedures for micro-credentials, in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention.  application was developed as part of the STACQ - The project Stacking Credits and the Future of the Qualification (STACQ) responds to the continuous developments in flexible, online and alternative forms of learning. The project and is co-funded by Erasmus+.  

https://www.nuffic.nl/en/subjects/recognition-projects/the-micro-evaluator-a-tool-for-recognising-micro-credentials

The 6 Best Data Analytics Certifications on Coursera to Consider for 2022 - Timothy King, Solutions Review

We’ve compiled this list of the best data analytics certifications on Coursera if you’re looking to grow your skills for work or play. Coursera is one of the top online education platforms in the world, partnering with more than 200 universities and companies to provide a range of learning opportunities. The platform touts more than 77 million learners around the globe. This list of the best data analytics certifications on Coursera below includes links to the modules and our take on each.

https://solutionsreview.com/business-intelligence/the-best-data-analytics-certifications-on-coursera/

US House passes bill to make Pell grants available for retraining programs - Kathryn Moody, Higher Ed Dive

 The U.S. House of Representatives passed a sprawling omnibus bill Feb. 4 with amendments that would make Pell grants available for rapid retraining programs and provide "workers and students accurate, timely, high-quality information to help make decisions about which programs are best for them," according to a statement from the National Skills Coalition. The America Competes Act is the House's answer to the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act passed by the Senate last year. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement and in interviews with national outlets that the framework presented by both bills has "broad bipartisan support." 

https://www.highereddive.com/news/us-house-passes-bill-to-make-pell-grants-available-for-retraining-programs/618655/

Amid the Great Resignation, these are the top searched jobs on Google - Corinne Reichert, C|Net

What careers are people actually interested in now that they're leaving their jobs in droves? Google has released the top "how to become" job searches from the past year, showing the most popular to be a real estate agent or flight attendant. Millions of Americans have been leaving their jobs suddenly during what's been dubbed the Great Resignation over the past year, as they seek better pay, better benefits or a role that allows them to continue working remotely. According to Google these were the top searched "how to become" careers between January 2021 and January 2022

https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/amid-the-great-resignation-these-are-the-top-searched-jobs-on-google

New Hampshire Celebrates Early Success of University’s Micro-Credential Program, Closing Skills Gap - Cision

The University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) new micro-credential program is helping to close the workforce skills gap, announced the N.H. Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA). UNH offers more than 250 micro-credential courses and 26 certificate programs in areas ranging from computer science and cryptocurrency to business management and law. Since the program began 18 months ago, about 2,000 learners per semester enroll in professional education programs focused on work ready skills, with over 6,000 digital badges issued to date.

https://www.prweb.com/releases/new_hampshire_celebrates_early_success_of_universitys_micro_credential_program_closing_skills_gap/prweb18480972.htm

Robertson College to Tackle Labour Shortage with new Complementary Learning Model and Micro Credentials - Yahoo Finance

"Prior to the pandemic, we were already seeing a shift in the world of work. Now, combined with the impact of isolations, burnout and the Great Resignation, businesses across the country are in need of talent to keep their operations running," says Liz Choi, CEO of Robertson's parent company, Education Canada Group. "We want to help businesses tackle this challenge by training and upskilling talent to meet these labour needs." The Complementary Learning model encompasses a variety of ways for learners to interact with content, instructors and peers so that learning can take place when and where it works for the learners. Instruction is delivered mostly online and essential hands-on training is conducted on-campus. Learners are not bound by their location or schedules – two of the biggest barriers to pursuing post-secondary education.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/robertson-college-tackle-labour-shortage-204500878.html