Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Launches Online Certificate Course In Hindu Studies - Nandini Virma, Republic World

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has announced an online certificate course on "Hindu Studies". This 1-year program offers a unique opportunity to delve deeply into the profound wisdom of ancient sages, encompassing traditions, history, literature, and philosophies that have shaped the rich tapestry of Hinduism, serving as a pathway to comprehending the fundamental philosophical underpinnings and practical aspects of Sanatana Dharma. It must be noted that the university ranked among the top 10 universities in the NIRF rankings for 2023.

https://www.republicworld.com/education/admissions/amrita-vishwa-vidyapeetham-launches-online-certificate-course-in-hindu-studies-apply-now-articleshow.html

UC Clermont sees 20% enrollment increase - Amanda Chalifoux, University of Cincinnati

UC Clermont continues to add new academic options — the college now offers more than 60 bachelor, associate, certificate and transfer-oriented programs. Within UC, the college has emerged as a leader in online and flexible courses. The campus now features 12 HyFlex classrooms, which allow students to choose to attend class in person or online on any given day. In addition, micro-credentials — short, focused credentials designed to provide in-demand skills, know-how and experience — have been added to UC Clermont’s slate of offerings. The college was the first at UC to offer micro-credentials, providing additional knowledge and pathways for professionals and current students.

https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2023/08/uc-clermont-sees-20-percent-enrollment-increase.html

Leveraging Alternative Credentials To Expand The Talent Pool -Michael Timmes, Forbes

While employers have developed some creative strategies to expand the talent pool to attract and retain more workers—such as reaching out to former employees, scaling back hours to help retain Baby Boomers, practicing salary transparency in recruiting efforts and improving the employee value proposition—there is one approach that has received little publicity: targeting people who are "skilled through alternative routes," or STARs. STARs are adults without four-year bachelor’s degrees who have work experience and skills that translate to higher-paying jobs. According to Opportunity@Work data, 50% of all U.S. workers fall into this category and "are well-positioned to fill middle and high-wage jobs across all sectors including in-demand" and emerging roles, such as software developers, customer service representatives, patient care coordinators and cybersecurity analysts.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2022/09/30/leveraging-alternative-credentials-to-expand-the-talent-pool/?sh=4063417866e6

Global Online Certificate Course: Demystifying Environment Data and Maps for Communication in the 21st Century - Centre for Science and Environment (India)

Data is not just numbers. It is critical for research communication, advocacy and decision-making. Data and the maps on climate change, air pollution, water, agriculture, urbanisation and economy, when put together, paint a larger picture of the situation in terms of sustainability and development. So, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), one of South Asia’s leading think tanks on the politics of development, environment and climate change, invites you to join its Global Online Certificate Training, which focuses specifically on: understanding data, analysing it, and visualising it to tell climate change and development stories to different stakeholders for action 

https://www.cseindia.org/course-demystifying-climate-change-and-sustainability-data-for-communication-in-the-21st-century-11829

Best Friends Animal Society and Southern Utah University Announce New Microcredentials Designed for Students Seeking a Career in Animal Services - SUU

Best Friends Animal Society is pleased to offer three new animal services courses through their academic partner, Southern Utah University (SUU). The online courses are designed for busy adults and result in digital microcredentials that, when stacked together, complete the Contemporary Animal Services Foundations Certificate. The new courses take seven weeks to complete and include Studies in Contemporary Animal Services, Dog Lifesaving, and Cat Lifesaving.

https://www.suu.edu/news/2023/08/best-friends-animal-society-microcredentials.html

UMF offers new online certificate to help individuals provide job services for their clients - BCN Community

This fall, the University of Maine at Farmington is offering a new online Employment Specialist Certificate for individuals who work closely with people with disabilities and other limiting conditions to help them secure meaningful jobs. An employment specialist works with clients in a variety of settings to help them obtain and maintain employment consistent with their career goals. For example, one day they may be meeting with potential employers to develop job opportunities for their clients and the next day they may be working to help an individual client learn how to do a retail job.

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/08/21/bdn-maine/umf-offers-new-online-certificate-to-help-individuals-provide-job-services-for-their-clients/

SUNY Chancellor King Announces Registration is Open for Direct Support Microcredentials - SUNY

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. today announced the start of the direct support microcredential program approved earlier this year to provide training that leads to national certification in the field of developmental disabilities. The program was developed in partnership with the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to recognize the distinct skills and competencies required of today's direct support professionals.

https://www.suny.edu/suny-news/press-releases/8-23/8-1-23/

Microcredentials document earned results, employability - Miami Herald

Creativity, resilience, learning ability and effective communication are some of the most sought-after skills in new job candidates. Microcredentials and their growing use in higher education are emerging as a trend that helps students quickly and securely position themselves in the new world of work. These short programs are designed to develop skills, knowledge and experience in demand, which students need to ensure their success.

https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article278378504.html

Micro-Credentials Could Begin To Resolve the Nursing Shortage in as Little as One Month - Therese A. Scanlan, Med City News

But the aging population and changing healthcare delivery models continue to drive demand for nurses higher. There is a creative way to address these problems:

Create new apprenticeship-style programs for nursing assistants and medical assistants with an education partner.

Recruit a new type of healthcare employee – often a person who is seeking to change careers to a more dynamic and higher paying field.

Invest in that new type of employee from day one, supporting them in their acquisition of micro-credentials that lead to higher nursing certifications and compensation.

https://medcitynews.com/2023/08/micro-credentials-could-begin-to-resolve-the-nursing-shortage-in-as-little-as-one-month/

Meet Colorado’s only water sommelier - Amanda Loudin, RED MSU Denver

You’re probably familiar with the tasks of a wine sommelier — a trained professional specializing in the nuances of wine and how to perfectly pair it with different types of food. But did you know there are also sommeliers focused on mustard, cheese, beer and even water? Anistacia Barrak-Barber is one of these, and she’s on a mission to educate and inform the public about all things water. Barrak-Barber would also like to educate people on the upbeat aspects of water through her sommelier certification. “Water has many nuances and flavors brought about from its mineral content and sources,” she explained. “Some flavor profiles can make or break a meal. If you’re eating sushi with a water that has high mineral content, for example, the water will drown out the flavors of the fish.” Currently, water sommeliers are in demand mostly in Europe and other spots around the globe. Slowly, however, they’re making their way into high-end U.S. restaurants as well, and Barrak-Barber is perfectly positioned to take advantage of that.

https://red.msudenver.edu/2023/meet-colorados-only-water-sommelier/

Association of College and University Educators Microcredential Programs: University of Arkansas -

To further enhance their teaching, faculty can earn microcredentials and certification from the Association of College and University Educators. The association provides the only nationally recognized teaching credential program in higher education and is endorsed by the American Council on Education. Faculty can enroll in ACUE courses through a partnership with the University of Arkansas or individually online. During the 2023 spring semester, the University of Arkansas offered microcredentials through ACUE programs across the following competency areas: Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners, Promoting Active Learning in Online Courses, and Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment. For more information on ACUE microcredentials, visit acue.org.

https://news.uark.edu/articles/64827/university-of-arkansas-provides-valuable-resources-for-faculty

Companies increasingly dropping degree requirement from job adverts, data reveals - Grace Lewis, People Management

There was a 90 per cent increase in the share of UK job postings not requiring a degree between 2021 and 2022, new data has shown, as employers look to overhaul their recruitment processes to plug skills and diversity gaps. The research from LinkedIn indicated that in an effort to remove “unnecessary barriers to jobs”, businesses are turning to skills-based hiring. Globally, recruiters are five times more likely to search by skills over degrees, according to the research. Previous People Management reporting indicated a move to a “skills-based approach” to help find future talent, as “traditional resourcing isn’t fit for purpose”, according to one commentator. 

https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1833614/companies-increasingly-dropping-degree-requirement-job-adverts-data-reveals

New microcredentials to strengthen the talent pipeline for Canada’s biomanufacturing industry - Tyler Irving, University of Toronto

U of T Engineering has partnered with CCRM, BioZone and the School of Continuing Studies on a new set of microcredentials that will help workers across Canada’s biomanufacturing industry to upgrade or strengthen their skills. Biomanufacturing refers to the industrial-scale production of many different products, including pharmaceuticals, vaccines, emerging products such as cell and gene therapies and even commodity chemicals and fuels. BioTalent Canada has estimated that by 2029, Canada may require as many as 65,000 additional workers in this sector. 

https://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/new-microcredentials-to-strengthen-the-talent-pipeline-for-canadas-biomanufacturing-industry/

UPCEA Receives Grant from Walmart to Accelerate Growth of Credential Innovation in Higher Education - UPCEA

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is honored to receive a $395,000 grant from Walmart to accelerate work in the alternative credentials space with a project titled, “Building Capacity, Expanding Pathways: Accelerating the Growth of Credential Innovation in Higher Education.” Through the grant project, UPCEA will facilitate the adoption of scalable business and program models for colleges and universities, based on market research tied to employer needs. The project will utilize a peer learning community to support the development and delivery of noncredit, short-term credentials.

https://upcea.edu/upcea-receives-grant-from-walmart-to-accelerate-growth-of-credential-innovation-in-higher-education/

Growing and Verifying Skills - Clarkson University

The tools employees need to thrive in the workplace regularly evolve in response to new technologies, capabilities and expectations. Micro-credentials from Clarkson help employees to upskill and reskill in areas such as engineering, data science, entrepreneurship and leadership. A recent poll shows 95 percent of employers support micro-credentials — but they want to know that they come from a reliable source. Clarkson's expert-designed assessments mean employees acquire updated skills, knowledge and experience from a source employers can trust.

https://www.clarkson.edu/academics/professional/microcredentials

How to Use Micro-Credentials to Fill Resume Gaps (and Get a Job) - Electra Nanou, Make Use Of

Are you struggling to land your dream job due to gaps in your resume? Here's how micro-credentials can fill those gaps and boost your career.  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.

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-use-micro-credentials/

$70,000 funding to fill skills gaps in nuclear science through new microcredential course - Charles Sturt University (AU)

Starting in late 2023, Charles Sturt University will offer a new microcredential course in nuclear science for current or recent high school graduates, as well as those looking to develop their understanding of nuclear safety. Charles Sturt University has received federal government funding to develop and offer a new, free microcredential course for high school leavers from late 2023. The ‘micro’ course is the equivalent of two first-year university subjects, and if completed successfully, students gain credit for two first-year physics subjects. There is a workforce shortage across nuclear medicine in Australia and globally.

https://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/$70,000-funding-to-fill-skills-gaps-in-nuclear-science-through-new-microcredential-course

UT System and Coursera launch the most comprehensive industry-recognized microcredential program in the country - UT System

The University of Texas (UT) System and Coursera today launched an expanded industry microcredential program with a goal of preparing every interested student at UT academic campuses – as well as faculty, staff and alumni – for the state’s workforce demands at no extra cost to them. As part of the UT System’s Texas Credentials for the Future initiative, over 240,000 learners across nine UT campuses now have access to the Career Academy on Coursera, which includes more than 35 entry-level Professional Certificates from leading companies such as Google, IBM, Microsoft and Salesforce. The expanded partnership represents the most extensive industry-recognized microcredential program from a U.S. university system.

https://www.utsystem.edu/news/2023/08/02/ut-system-and-coursera-launch-most-comprehensive-industry-recognized-microcredential-program-country

What Are Microcredentials? A Complete Guide - Kayla Missman, Forbes Advisor

Microcredentials have exploded in popularity over the last several years, with thousands of options for professional development available online. But what are microcredentials, and can they really change your career? While the end result depends on your personal goals, earning a microcredential can be a powerful step toward increasing your income or moving into a new field. These focused courses verify your mastery of a specialized skill or topic. And due to the programs’ short format, microcredential instructors can frequently update their material to reflect developments in technology or regulations, helping learners adapt to recent and ongoing changes in their fields. Keep reading to learn more about how to earn a microcredential and what it can do for your career.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/microcredentials/

How micro-credentialing helps fill Oklahoma’s workforce needs - Jeff Elkins, Journal-Record

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are fulfilling workforce needs through short series of courses designed to help individuals acquire in-demand skills. Micro-credentials align with the state’s critical occupations, such as agriculture, teacher education, health and cybersecurity. OSHRE partnered with businesses and public colleges and universities to create micro-credentials in occupations where these needs exist.

https://journalrecord.com/2023/08/11/how-micro-credentialing-helps-fill-oklahomas-workforce-needs/

The Future of Online Graduate Education: Trends and Innovations to Keep an Eye On - Los Cerritos News

Micro-credentials are typically short, focused courses that validate specific skills or competencies. Although they are not similar to graduate degree programs, some institutions offer “stackable” micro-credentials, which means that learners can earn multiple micro-credentials and combine them to eventually work towards earning a full graduate degree. This approach allows students to accumulate credits over time and tailor their education to meet specific career goals while gradually working towards the completion of a higher-level degree.

https://www.loscerritosnews.net/2023/08/12/the-future-of-online-graduate-education-trends-and-innovations-to-keep-an-eye-on/