How I Earned (Hacked) a Google Career Certificate - Anne Kim, Washington Monthly

After writing for years about the benefits of certificates and short-term credential programs, especially for working learners, I had begun to feel inauthentic, like a self-help guru who doesn’t take her own advice. So I finally enrolled in one this spring: Google’s “career certificate” program in data analytics, available online through Coursera for $39 a month.  According to the American Council on Education, which evaluates academic programs, my Google data analytics certificate program should have taken 175 hours and more than six months to complete. My shortcuts got me mine in about two and a half weeks. I still believe that quality certificate programs can help jump-start, restart, or advance careers. But they’re neither a stand-alone solution nor a silver bullet. 

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2023/08/27/how-i-earned-hacked-a-google-career-certificate/

More women enhancing job skills before returning to work: Coursera - ABS-CBN News

More women took online courses to enhance their skills as they returned to work after the COVID-19 pandemic, an online learning platform said Tuesday. "We saw this in the Philippines, that broadly 35 percent of the courses that were taken pre-COVID were coming from women learners, and through the pandemic, it went up roughly about 45 percent," said Coursera Asia-Pacific managing director Raghav Gupta. Gupta said more women worldwide took on remote work during the pandemic as they juggled jobs with their responsibilities of caring for the home.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/business/08/29/23/more-women-enhancing-job-skills-before-returning-to-work-coursera

Promising, Then Revoking, ‘Forever’ Alumni Status for Certificate Grads - Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed

University of Southern California tentatively settles false advertising lawsuit by graduates of certificate programs, raising issues of how colleges value different students. Who gets to claim alumni status at the University of Southern California and benefit from its powerful network? For years, Brian Ralston, who earned a graduate certificate in music scoring for motion pictures and television from USC in 2002, thought he did. They learned the university had updated its bylaws sometime in the 2010s—without notifying affected graduates—to no longer grant alumni status to graduate certificate holders who don’t otherwise have a traditional bachelor’s or graduate degree from USC.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/business/academic-programs/2023/08/28/usc-promised-certificate-grads-alumni-status-then

Insights: Empowering UAE women for a transformative AI-driven future - Kais Zribi, Gulf Business

A potential solution to this challenge lies in greater accreditation of online learning and industry micro-credentials, which have proven to be real game changers for women over the last few years. These credentials have not only equipped them with the latest skills and expertise demanded by employers but also served as a pathway to enter traditionally male-dominated industries and positions. By earning micro-credentials in fields such as technology, finance, engineering, and data analytics, women are levelling the playing field and opening doors to lucrative job opportunities.

https://gulfbusiness.com/empowering-uae-women-for-a-transformative-future/

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