Survey respondents are demonstrating confidence in microcredentials–online training programs that take no more than six months to complete–as four-year degree programs often overlook job training. 'Grade inflation and efforts to help everyone ... attend college make it harder for employers to differentiate among applicants.' The consensus is that students find value in these programs. Inside Higher Ed reported, however, that students have trouble defining “microcredentials” and finding the right program with often little more than a Reddit review. Employers, meanwhile, are confused by microcredentials, according to the UCPEA survey. Though they express skepticism about their quality, they are still willing to collaborate with the companies and universities offering microcredentials to ensure that students’ training fits workforce needs.
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Friday, March 31, 2023
Talking with Ana Goodman, Snr Dr of People and Culture at D2L, about lifelong learning opportunities, micro credentials and much more! - Alex Zaharov-Reutt, IT Wire
Whether you’re a student or in the workplace, technology continues to evolve and create new opportunities for lifelong learning. In a world that depends on people having digital literacy skills to perform a role, the importance of technology as a learning tool can’t be underestimated. D2L's Ana Goodman joined iTWireTV to discuss this all and more!
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Building a Microcredential Program Framework to Meet the Needs of a Changing Academic Landscape - Justin Louder, Campus Technology
From curriculum to technology concerns, consider these essentials for creating alternative education opportunities at your institution. Call them badges, short courses, certificates, microcredentials or nanodegrees, but no matter the name, these short, focused academic programs are a higher education hot topic. Just as learners are looking to reskill or upskill in the face of the changing employment market, institutions are looking for new education pathways to counteract shrinking traditional enrollment numbers. Short microcredential programs allow students to gain new skills without committing to a full degree program and they are an avenue for institutions looking to increase enrollment, boost revenue, and most importantly meet the needs of today's learner.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Biggest barrier to skill development is cost, survey finds - Laura Ascione, eCampus News
Employees worry that digital credentials may be costly to obtain, but working while earning a credential is particularly important to career changers. These were some of the global findings from a new study administered by Morning Consult and commissioned by IBM, based on more than 14,000 interviews of students, people seeking new jobs, and people seeking to change careers located across 13 countries. Respondents also cited concerns that career options may not be available to them. These findings contrast with market data that employers are investing in the reskilling of their current workforce to keep pace with rapid advances in technology and stay relevant in the modern, digital economy. “Technology training can have a transformational effect on a person’s life,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Chief Impact Officer.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Students Want More Workplace Skills From Colleges. Will Higher Ed Adjust? - Jenn Hofmann, EdSurge
Today’s high school graduates are increasingly questioning whether higher education is worth it, and that’s pushing colleges to rethink the value they bring students. This was a key theme I heard at last week’s SXSW EDU conference, where several panels addressed what today’s generation of students want, and how colleges can respond. It was also a top-of-mind issue for me coming into the conference.
Monday, March 27, 2023
Credentials Count - Adam Bruns, Site Selection
In January, Indiana-based Lumina Foundation released an update of its “A Stronger Nation” scorecard that tracks the share of working-age adults with degrees or other credentials of value. The national post-high school education rate among adults 25 to 64 years old reached 53.7 percent in 2021, an increase of nearly 2 percentage points since 2019 when the percentage was 51.9. Courtney Brown, Lumina’s vice president of strategic impact and planning and director of the Stronger Nation project, said the gain represents the largest two-year increase the organization has seen since it started tracking the data in 2009 after issuing a call for 60% of adults to have college degrees or other high-quality credentials beyond high school by 2025 to meet labor-market demand and ensure the country’s global competitiveness.
Sunday, March 26, 2023
Worries run high about digital credentials’ expense, academic degrees’ relevance for STEM jobs, survey finds - Rick Seltzer, Higher Ed Dive
About 6 in 10 students, job seekers and employees aiming to change careers think they don’t have the right academic degrees for jobs in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math, according to a new survey commissioned by IBM. The survey, conducted in 13 countries and released Tuesday, also found that 6 in 10 respondents worry digital credentials will be too expensive to earn. And roughly 4 in 10 said the greatest barrier to gaining more skills is not knowing where to start.
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Kennesaw State nationally recognized for micro-credential initiative - Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University has received recognition from the nation’s leading university professional development organization for an initiative that creators say has helped students and professionals better market their skills. The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) awarded KSU the 2023 UPCEA Innovation in Alternative Credentials Association Award. KSU received the recognition for its micro-credential initiative, which provides students, faculty and staff with badges and certified links they can use on resumes and LinkedIn profiles that demonstrate verification of a particular skill to prospective employers.
Friday, March 24, 2023
Auburn Career Center awarded $330,000 job-training grant - CHAD FELTON, News-Herald
Auburn Career Center in Concord Township has been awarded a $330,000 job-training grant to establish a workforce-development initiative for adult residents of Lake and Geauga counties with developmental disabilities. Officials confirmed Auburn is one of four institutions of higher education to be chosen for the program — “Pathways to Careers – Improving Post-Secondary Education Options for Students with Developmental Disabilities” — by the Ohio Board of Developmental Disabilities. The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati and Youngstown State University were also selected.
https://www.news-herald.com/2023/02/16/auburn-career-center-awarded-330000-job-training-grant/
Thursday, March 23, 2023
FGCU, FutureMakers awarded $23 million grant to offer training to untapped workforce Erica Van Buren, Fort Myers News-Press
The FutureMakers Coalition and Florida Gulf Coast University partner for the Southwest Florida Equitable Jobs Pipeline project in an effort to help connect workers with the necessary training to attain better careers while meeting the workforce needs of employers. The organizations received a $23 million grant to fund the project. The FutureMakers Coalition and Florida Gulf Coast University are united in an effort to help connect workers with the necessary training to attain better careers while meeting the workforce needs of employers. The four target industries for the Equitable Jobs Pipeline are health care, manufacturing, K-12 public education and logistics. The project is being funded by the United States Department of Commerce.
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Congreso de Latinos Unidos selected as one of four local organizations to receive Workforce Solutions grant - Jensen Toussaint, Aldia News
One of the four organizations selected for the Workforce Solutions Grant is Congreso de Latinos Unidos, which will receive $200,000. The organization plans to use the funds to expand its Human Services Pathway Program and partnership with Peirce College. The partnership strengthens the pathway to associate and bachelor’s degree attainment by providing additional college credits and expanding course offerings to students. Through the Workforce Solutions Grant, Congreso will continue to expand and innovate its curriculum that further aligns with the needs of employers, with the goal of preparing their program graduates for a diverse array of career paths and opportunities.
https://aldianews.com/en/leadership/advocacy/200k-congreso-program
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Employer demand for microcredentials is on the rise - Laura Ascione, eCampus News
Employer demand for microcredentials is on the rise, according to a new study from Collegis Education and UPCEA, the association for college and university leaders in online and professional continuing education. The report, “The Effect of Employer Understanding and Engagement on Non-Degree Credentials,” includes the viewpoints of leaders from 500 organizations on their perceptions of the value of non-degree and alternative credentials. Ninety-five percent of those surveyed said they saw benefits from microcredentials, particularly because they show an employee’s willingness to develop their skills (76 percent); demonstrate initiative (63 percent) and are an easy way to communicate employee competencies and skills (60 percent). Organizational leaders were particularly interested in stackable credentials leading to a degree, with 80 percent saying that increased their appeal.
Monday, March 20, 2023
CertNexus Updates AI Certification Program, Certified Artificial Intelligence Practitioner® - PR Underground
CertNexus, the leading provider of vendor-neutral, emerging tech certifications and micro-credentials, has updated its Certified Artificial Intelligence Practitioner (CAIP) certification and training curriculum. CAIP is the leading high-stakes, vendor-neutral certification for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning professionals who want to develop and validate their skills to select, train, and operationalize ML algorithms.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
KSU LEADS NATION IN MICRO-CREDENTIALS. HERE’S HOW IT’S CHANGING LINKEDIN PROFILES IN YOUR NETWORK - Maija Ehlinger, Hypepotemus
Micro-credentialing has become a key part of the continuing education space. Young professionals, career transition candidates, and those scouring job boards for new positions have used the smaller courses to level up a specific skill. Unlike a full degree track, micro-credentials are short-form, competency-based badges designed to showcase someone’s mastery in a hyper-specific subject. Georgia’s own Kennesaw State University is leading the charge to make it easier for students and professionals to market their skills through such credentials. Those in the KSU network can use credentials to verify new skills on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles. KSU recently earned national recognition by the University Professional and Continuing Education Association for its work in the alternative credentialing space.
Saturday, March 18, 2023
How to Use Micro-Credentials to Fill Resume Gaps (and Get a Job) - Electra Nanou, MakeUseOf
University degrees are great for your career, but they take time and money that you may not want to spend more than once on. If you want to fill in the gaps in your resume, consider micro-credentials—fast, cheap, and effective training. Here’s everything you need to know about micro-credentials, from what they are and how they work to where they go on your resume. Keep an eye out for opportunities to get new skills and improve your career prospects.
Friday, March 17, 2023
Clarkson University Awarded $729,000 State Workforce Development Grant for Micro-credential Program
Clarkson University has been awarded $729,000 from the New York State Office of Strategic Workforce Development as part of the Workforce Development Capital and Pay for Performance Grant Programs, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. The funding was awarded to Clarkson for its Advancing Industry with Micro-credentials program, which will allow Clarkson to expand its existing micro-credential program to include courses in advanced manufacturing, clean tech, and construction that will result in ready-to-hire graduates in in-demand fields.
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Microcredentials Confuse Employers, Colleges and Learners - Susan D'Agostino, Inside Higher Ed
Three recent studies highlight confusion about alternative credentials. But all parties seek quality, verifiable, bite-size, low-priced online offerings targeting specific industries. Reskilling. Upskilling. Certificates. Certifications. Badges. Licenses. Microcredentials. Alternative credentials. Digital credentials. So many terms. So little agreement on what they mean, least of all in higher ed. “Employers say, ‘It’s great that this individual has these skills, but we’ll ask our own questions to verify the learner’s knowledge,’” Kyle Albert, assistant research professor at the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy, said. “It’s a trust-but-verify situation.”
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Survey Reveals Employers' Views on Microcredential Benefits, Concerns - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
Out of 510 organizational leaders surveyed, 95% reported being at least somewhat familiar with microcredentials, and more than two-thirds (69%) said they were extremely or very familiar with alternative credentials or training. Most survey respondents associated a number of benefits with the inclusion of microcredentials on a prospective employee's résumé. Those included: showing an employee's willingness to develop their skills (cited by 76% of respondents); demonstrating initiative (63%); easily communicating employee competencies and skills (60%); and showing that the employee stays up to date with particular subject areas (56%).
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Strategically Aligning Higher Ed and Workforce Using Microcredentials - Falecia Williams, Evolllution
Microcredentials are the next big disruptor in higher education, but implanting them successfully means listening to students and responding to their needs as well as close collaboration with industry to ensure relevancy. With the talent gap continuing to grow and learners looking to stay relevant in the job market, workforce and higher ed need to be on the same page. Microcredentials can help align these two industries—if done correctly. In this interview, Falecia Williams discusses the need to focus on microcredentials, the importance of speaking the same skills language and how to work closely with industry to meet the employer and learner needs.
Monday, March 13, 2023
Why higher ed needs to get on board with micro-credentials - Alcino Donadel, University Business
With alternative and non-degree credentials becoming ever more appealing to employers, colleges and universities are in the perfect position to corner the market. A new study focusing on employers’ perspectives on micro-credentials reveals that while a strong majority of them believe it boosts a prospective hire’s value, not enough colleges and universities are capitalizing on it. More than 70% of respondents agreed that job applicants with non-degree or alternative credentials have increased the past two years and those hires helped their organization fill an existing skill gap (74%) and improved the quality of their workforce (73%). It’s no wonder, then, that 71% affirmed that their organization is becoming more accepting of non-degree or alternative credentials in lieu of traditional four-year degrees.
Sunday, March 12, 2023
Micro-Internships Give Women a Foot in the Tech Industry Door - Ashley Mowreader, Inside HIgher Ed
Judy Spitz, a former Verizon chief information officer, wants to close that gap by helping college-age women receive paid summer internships. Spitz founded Break Through Tech working with Cornell Tech as a partner. The organization’s Sprinternship program places students in short-term programs to gain hands-on tech experience in a workplace setting. The program has proven successful in giving project-based learning opportunities to over 1,000 women and getting the majority of them in that coveted next-step intern role.
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