Webinar: Alternative Credentials and CBE Programs: Answering the Call for Skills-Based Learning

Date of broadcast: Tue, 10/04/22 Registration Required - sponsored by Jenzabar

During the webinar, our panel of higher education professionals from Chatfield College and Bay de Noc Community College will share institutional strategies and best practices for implementing successful alternative credentials and CBE programs. These will be methods that any higher ed institution can repeat.

https://universitybusiness.com/alternative-credentials-and-cbe-programs-answering-the-call-for-skills-based-learning/

Walmart To Pay 100% of College Tuition and Books for Associates - Walmart

Walmart announced it will pay 100% of college tuition and books for associates through its Live Better U (LBU) education program. Starting Aug. 16, the $1 a day fee will be removed for associates, making all education programs paid for by Walmart. This means approximately 1.5 million part-time and full-time Walmart and Sam’s Club associates in the U.S. can earn college degrees or learn trade skills without the burden of education debt. As the largest U.S. private employer, Walmart is committing to invest nearly $1 billion over the next five years in career-driven training and development.

https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2021/07/27/walmart-to-pay-100-of-college-tuition-and-books-for-associates

Short-term training provides skills that lead to jobs - Salt Lake Community College, KSL

As we have navigated these extraordinary and challenging times, Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) rallied its resources to help both employees and employers meet their respective needs. Short-term training, certificates and other resources offered by SLCC have been vital in giving those most impacted a leg-up and a step forward toward meaningful employment in high-demand industries throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Are you a Utah resident who is unemployed, underemployed or working in a vulnerable position? Funding is now available to cover tuition and fees for many short-term training and certificate programs at SLCC.

https://www.ksl.com/article/50477608/short-term-training-provides-skills-that-lead-to-jobs

California to give $2,500 training grant to workers who lost jobs during COVID pandemic - MIKHAIL ZINSHTEYN, Mercury News

Now the state is opening the grant to a wide range of adults with low incomes who lost their jobs or saw their hours severely cut during the pandemic. Half of the grant funds are reserved for displaced workers with children under 18. Officials expect to reach 190,000 people with this money, called the Golden State Education and Training Grant Program. Among the few stipulations to receive the grant, applicants must fill out a short application that takes about 10 minutes to complete and attest that they lost a job or hours after March 4 2020, when Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency. Applicants also must affirm that they weren’t enrolled in an educational or job-training program when they lost their jobs. There’s an income threshold as well.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/09/13/california-to-give-2500-training-grant-to-workers-who-lost-jobs-during-pandemic/

Local higher ed leaders talk nontraditional students - Rochester Magazine

"The opportunities have never been greater for adults who are interested in a new career. Many times that change requires additional education, and we offer many convenient options for continued education. Some ways Saint Mary’s is doing this is through single course options, certificates for specific areas (faster to achieve than a full degree), and by making it possible to combine—or stack—related certificates into a degree program to allow our adult learners to move forward with their career and their education in tandem." —Tim Albers, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, Saint Mary's University

https://www.postbulletin.com/rochester-magazine/local-higher-ed-leaders-talk-nontraditional-students

ACD To Offer Students Free Career-Entry Professional Certificates from Google - Alamo Community Colleges

To help students prepare for the workforce through industry-created training, the Alamo Colleges District will be offering all Fall 2022 enrolled students free access to one of six Grow with Google professional certificates through a partnership with Coursera. This opportunity is made possible through a partnership between Google and Coursera, a global online learning platform that offers access to online courses. The six professional certificates in the Grow with Google suite available for enrolled students are; Data Analytics, Digital Marketing & E-commerce, IT Automation with Python, IT Support, Project Management and UX Design. 

https://www.alamo.edu/news--events/news/2022/08-august/acd-to-offer-students-free-career-entryprofessional-certificates-from-google/

Newly funded micro-credential programs will provide Albertans with job-ready skills - Mirage News

Albertans aiming to upgrade their skills, gain new skills or rejoin the workforce now have a new avenue at the University of Alberta, thanks to $1.14 million in new provincial funding over the next two years. The investment in 10 U of A programs is part of an $8-million announcement from Advanced Education to fund short-term micro-credential programs to help Albertans quickly re-skill or upskill to meet the demands of a changing economy. “We invite Albertans looking to accelerate the next stage of their careers to come to the University of Alberta to seek a bold new future,” said Bill Flanagan, U of A president.

https://www.miragenews.com/newly-funded-micro-credential-programs-will-862250/

EVs, the new future: IIT Madras launches certificate course on e-Mobility for working professionals. - Indian Express

Working professionals who intend to get familiar with electric vehicles can now enroll for IITM's 120-hour online certificate course. Last date to register for the October 2022 batch is September 30Mrittika Banerjee Offered through IITM’s Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), it is a 120-hour course with 40 hours of online interactive sessions with faculty. The course is extended for a period of six months and four out of the nine modules in the programme will be delivered by industry professionals. “Content will be delivered by industry professionals of the automotive industry with electric vehicle and vehicle engineering background,” says Course Coordinator Prof Karthick Athmanathan, Professor of Practice, IITM to EdexLive. 

https://www.edexlive.com/news/2022/sep/16/evs-the-new-future-iit-madras-launches-certificate-course-on-e-mobility-for-working-professionals-31080.html

TOMPKINS CORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE AWARDED FUNDING FOR MICRO-CREDENTIALS, JOB TRAINING - Eric Reinhard, CNYBJ

Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) in Dryden will use a funding award of $150,000 to develop micro-credentials and for training to fill local “in-demand jobs and provide pathways for career growth.” The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) with assistance from Southern Tier 8 Regional Development Board awarded the funding, Southern Tier 8 said.

https://www.cnybj.com/tcthree-awarded-funding-for-micro-credentials-job-training/

Bridging the Gap: Micro-credentials for Development - Rory McGreal, Wayne Mackintosh, Glenda Cox, and Don Olcott, Jr., IRRODL

This paper describes current trends and issues in implementing micro-credentials. The Covid-19 epidemic, combined with the increasing cost of higher education; employer concerns about graduate skills and competencies; increasing inequities in access; and student frustrations about lack of job opportunities have all been a catalyst for universities, colleges, independent credentialing agencies, and leaders of national qualification frameworks to rethink the broader credentials continuum in terms of open education and micro-credentials. Students desire more options at lower costs to combine their education and training for jobs. Employers want entry-level employees with better skills and capacity to learn.

https://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/6696/5731

Citing inflation, Iowa's universities ask for $32 million more from Board of Regents - Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register

Iowa State's $12 million request includes $4 million for expanding degree and certificate programs in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, computer science and engineering, and other high-tech fields. 

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2022/09/11/iowa-public-universities-iowa-state-uni-ask-more-money-board-regents-upcoming-budgets/8004736001/

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. 

https://fortune.com/education/business/articles/2022/09/01/here-are-5-free-online-cybersecurity-courses-hosted-by-top-universities/

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.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/certificates-vs-certification/

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.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonbusteed/2022/07/27/9-ways-to-improve-college-grad-work-readiness/?sh=51ac7d4a1186

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. 

https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/igniting-talent-local-nonprofit-helping-students-find-their-career-path-connecticut/520-d69f9327-205c-44bb-8496-b3f93ec7b33d

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).

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethgasman/2022/06/21/adobe-invests-in-hbcu-and-hsi-student-athlete-interns-to-promote-equity/?sh=3fb743f27fce

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.

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/organizational-and-employee-development/pages/micro-internships-building-work-experience-and-resumes.aspx

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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5FpHMzZKk0

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.

https://theshillongtimes.com/2022/09/04/iim-shillong-ncw-join-hands-to-boost-entrepreneurial-careers/

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.

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

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.

https://www.fenews.co.uk/exclusive/what-is-the-future-of-micro-nano-and-digital-credentialing/