Thursday, September 22, 2022

Here are 5 free online cybersecurity courses hosted by top universities - SYDNEY LAKE, Fortune

Since 2013, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs has grown 350% from 1 million to 3.5 million, according to a 2022 report from Cybersecurity Ventures. There’s many ways to enter the burgeoning cybersecurity industry, whether it be pursuing a master’s degree, taking upskilling courses through an employer, or earning certifications - such as are offered by several of those linked below. 

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Certificate vs. Certification: What’s The Difference? - Ian Callahan, Forbes Advisor

Though many people use the terms interchangeably, certificates and certifications are not the same. Understanding the differences between certificates and certifications is helpful for all students. Comparing the two can be useful when browsing prospective programs and job requirements. Pursuing a certificate or certification can be advantageous in the workplace, especially when it comes to increasing your salary and building your expertise. It’s important to know where your current employment status and your future goals lie when comparing certificate and certification programs.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

9 Ways To Improve College Grad Work Readiness - Brandon Busteed, Forbes

Doubts about the work readiness of college graduates run rampant in the U.S. Mixed in with rising college costs and growing college alternatives, these work readiness doubts have created a new generation of college shopper among prospective students and parents: the ROI generation. The ROI (return on investment) generation is asking tough questions of colleges and universities about career outcomes and they are prompting many higher ed leaders to create intentional and scalable initiatives to improve career readiness and outcomes for students. Here are nine immediate steps university leaders can take - see link below.

Monday, September 19, 2022

Connecticut nonprofit helping students find their career path - Julia LeBlanc, Fox 61

A brand new program is helping Connecticut high schoolers kick-start their careers. It’s called Igniting Talent, founded by the nonprofit, JoeAbate Charitable Foundation, Inc. Igniting Talent works with West Haven High School and North Branford High School and allows juniors and seniors to go through three "micro internships" at a dozen local businesses. They jump from one internship to another, with two weeks at each location, to test the waters. 

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Adobe Invests In HBCU And HSI Student-Athlete Interns To Promote Equity - Marybeth Gasman, Forbes

Having access to a college internship can make the difference between getting a job upon graduation and not getting one. Internship experience can also help with getting a higher starting salary. Unfortunately African American and Latinx students have fewer opportunities for internships. According to a 2020 study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), students of color are less likely than their white peers to received paid internships. More specifically, the study found that Black and Latinx students account for less than 16% of paid internships and roughly 17% of unpaid internships despite making up a significant percentage of the candidates in the internship pool. In order to counter this trend, Adobe is launching a new internship program focused on student athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Micro-Internships Build Work Experience and Resumes - Riia O'Donnell, SHRM

It's a paradox: You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience without a job. The gap between being employable and being employed has challenged entry-level workers for decades, whether they're top-tier college grads or high-schoolers. Micro-internships can take students through those first steps in their career journey. These short-term work experiences grow skills, build resumes, extend networks and instill confidence.

Friday, September 16, 2022

iTWire speaks with Tony Maguire, ANZ (Australia/New Zealand) regional director for D2L, about micro-credentials.

iTWire speaks with Tony Maguire, ANZ regional director for D2L, about micro-credentials. Tony explains what micro-credentials are, the benefits to employees and employers, how they break down barriers to education and learning, how they assist with career transitions and progression, and more!

Thursday, September 15, 2022

IIM Shillong, NCW join hands to boost entrepreneurial careers - Shillong Times (India)

In a bid to give a fillip to the entrepreneurial careers of women from the Northeast, a 40-hour weekend online certificate course kick-started on Saturday for the aspiring women.
According to a statement, the course, which will end on October 16, is being provided by the Centre for Development of the North Eastern Region (CeDNER), IIM Shillong, in collaboration with the National Commission for Women (NCW). Reacting to the collaboration, IIM Shillong Director Dr DP Goyal said, “Collaboration between IIM Shillong and the National Commission for Women not only aims to accelerate efforts to promote women entrepreneurship but also build confidence among the women entrepreneurs from both urban and rural areas.

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

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

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.

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

What is the future of Micro, Nano and Digital credentialing? - Stuart Martin, FE News

Do different countries define them differently? All of these terms have become buzzwords in the education sector, as well as politically: the EU is currently creating legislation and a framework on micro-credentials, Irish universities have been developing and using micro-credentials for a while, Australia is creating a micro-credential marketplace, and New Zealand has already established a micro-credential framework and definition.  Even UNESCO is working towards defining them, and in 2021 alone there were over 50 million digital badges awarded globally.

Monday, September 12, 2022

Micro-credentials the way forward for workers - the Star

Human resource experts are increasingly advocating micro-credentials as they specifically address the areas companies are urgently in need of upskilling, while the courses are short – barely taking five days to upskill participants – and most importantly, cost-effective. GKK Consultants Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Gajendra Balasingham said micro-credentials are the best solution for urgent changes as employability, resources, finances and time are critical in addressing today’s manpower shortage. Among all emerging business industries, the country’s IT industry is facing dire manpower shortages as the necessary skills are not being extended fast enough at tertiary levels.

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Micro-credentials the way forward for workers to improve and remain relevant - Bernmama, Edge Markets

Human resource experts are increasingly advocating micro-credentials as they specifically address the areas companies are urgently in need of upskilling, while the courses are short, barely taking five days to upskill participants, and most importantly, cost-effective. Gajendra Balasingham, the chief executive officer of GKK Consultants Sdn Bhd, said micro-credentials are the best solution for urgent changes as employability, resources, finances and time are critical to addressing today’s manpower shortage.

Saturday, September 10, 2022

What are microcredentials? - Grace McCabe, Times Higher Ed

As the popularity of microcredentials continues to grow, we look at what they are and what they can do for students and professionals who are considering upskilling in their chosen industry.  Also known as microdegrees or nanodegrees, they are often on-demand online courses that can be completed in your own time and provide certification upon completion. They are designed to be fast, accessible and specialised. One example of a microcredential may be if you are working in a computing and information technology role and you need to learn a new programming language. You may be able to take a microcredential in the specific language you need and at the end you will have certification of that new skill, which can be applied to your role. 

Friday, September 9, 2022

Experiential learning at the forefront of new school year at IUK - Spencer Durham, Kokomo Tribune

In an effort to strengthen ties with the community, IUK is branching out with microcredentials. These are geared toward those who are already working and want to build on their skills or learn a new one. “We want to know what we can do to educate the workforce,” Canada said.  For example, someone might earn a leadership microcredential — similar to a badge on LinkedIn — if they’re moving into an administrative role. The course is not for college credit. Instead, the focus is on obtaining the skill.

Thursday, September 8, 2022

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.

5 Key Characteristics of Microcredentials and What to Do With Them - Jamie Frankenfield, SUNY Blog

Don’t let the name fool you. A microcredential from SUNY is anything but small, and it packs a punch on your resume. Microcredentials allow students and professionals to learn a new skill in months, not years. They’re often used to make a resume stand out, or to add skill sets that complement what you know. Microcredentials can help employees adjust to changes in their industry, demonstrate that they are ready for advancement, or to help anyone explore a new career or interest.

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Art Markman: Going back to school should not just be for kids anymore - Waco Tribune-Herald

One interesting approach is what are called microcredentials. That might include a focus on new technologies, but it might also involve the people skills that enable someone to be an effective manager or leader. At The University of Texas at Austin, there are programs in engineering, business and human dimensions of organizations that can provide key skills to prepare for new positions. At Texas A&M University, Project MOOPIL has extensive training for teachers to help them address the needs of students who are also learning English. Rice University also has an extensive list of programs that include computer and data sciences and engineering leadership. In fact, last year UT Austin, Texas A&M and Rice served more than 100,000 learners who returned to school.

https://wacotrib.com/opinion/columnists/art-markman-going-back-to-school-should-not-just-be-for-kids-anymore/article_f7b04162-2496-11ed-81db-8ffc67aae96a.html

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Internship Opportunities at The Executive Office of the President

The Biden-Harris Administration is pleased to announce that, for the first time in recent history, the EOP is offering paid internship opportunities in many of our offices. The following offices will be offering internships in the coming year: The White House Office, the Office of the Vice President, the Council of Economic Advisers, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of the National Cyber Director, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and more.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/internships/

Monday, September 5, 2022

What We Know: How Institutions Can Best Prepare Students for What Comes Next - Adam Fein, Illunmination Modern Campus

What a continuing education division offers students can have a significant impact on the surrounding community in its near future. The skills taught within an institution will soon be used in the businesses that may have been critical to informing course curriculum in the first place. So it’s key for CE to stay up to date with what’s in demand.   On this episode of the Illumination podcast, host Amrit Ahluwalia is joined by Adam Fein, Vice President for Digital Strategy and Chief Information Officer of the University of North Texas. The two discuss the industrywide interest in micro-credentials and what’s possible for an institution to accomplish with micro-credentials within the context of traditional academic framework. 

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Regulators must keep-up with the pace of education innovation - MAHSOOD SHAH, Campus Morning Mail AU

As tertiary education institutions innovate their learning and teaching practices, it is critical that national regulators and professional accreditation bodies support their pursuit of innovation at a scale and speed that assures their international competitiveness. Failure to recognise and encourage beneficial change will inhibit essential growth, the financial sustainability of institutions and their access to new market opportunities, and affect our sector’s reputation for educational innovation.