Free Online Certificate Courses - Naman Bansal, News Patrolling

When choosing free online certificate courses, it is important to ensure that they provide ample job opportunities and career growth possibilities

As skill requirements in the industry are constantly evolving, it has become important for students and working professionals to continue upgrading. Among the options available, one that seems most appropriate is free online certificate courses. Such courses can be done as part time, without impacting your existing job or other career pursuits. Here are some of the best online learning platforms you can choose for free online certificate courses.

https://newspatrolling.com/free-online-certificate-courses/

Upskilling credentials for hydrogen - Sandra Ross, Climate Control News

Engineers Australia has launched a suite of hydrogen energy micro-credentials to upskill the engineering workforce and support Australia’s transition to net zero. The upskilling initiative is being made available through Engineering Education Australia (EEA) and Deakin University. The collaborative project addresses a severe talent shortage in the hydrogen and engineering sectors, critical to the nation’s clean energy goals. Supported by funding from the federal government, the project includes four micro-credentials and one webinar.

https://www.climatecontrolnews.com.au/renewable-energy/upskilling-credentials-for-hydrogen

Why Are Politicians Talking About Apprenticeships? - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed

Vice President Kamala Harris recently posted on X that she plans to double the number of registered, or federally recognized, apprenticeships, if she is elected president. The Democratic nominee also told a crowd at a September rally in Pennsylvania that “our nation needs to recognize the value of other paths, additional paths, such as apprenticeships and technical programs.” The 2024 Democratic Party platform, meanwhile, boasts “record investments” in registered apprenticeships under the Biden administration, with a million trainees participating in them as a result. “That’s a path to the middle class that families can count on,” the platform reads.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2024/10/04/why-politicians-are-talking-about-apprenticeships

Regional workshop in Pacific on design of micro-credentials for TVET - Post-Courier, Papua New Guinea

Micro-credentials are increasingly becoming the choice for curriculum delivery, especially at the post-secondary level of education.  The Commonwealth of Learning (COL), in collaboration with the Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD), recently hosted a regional workshop on the design of micro-credentials aligned to the Pacific TVET Online Toolkit. The workshop was held at the University of South Pacific (USP) in Suva, Fiji.   This activity is part of a project on open, distance and flexible learning in the Pacific, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand.

https://www.postcourier.com.pg/regional-workshop-in-pacific-on-design-of-micro-credentials-for-tvet/

Hydrogen micro-credentials to power clean energy future - HVAC & R News

Engineers Australia is working with Engineering Education Australia (EEA) and Deakin University to launch a suite of hydrogen energy micro-credentials, which will enable the engineering workforce to upskill and support Australia’s transition to net zero.  The project addresses a severe talent shortage in the hydrogen and engineering sectors, which are critical to the nation’s clean energy goals.

https://www.hvacrnews.com.au/education/hydrogen-micro-credentials-to-power-clean-energy-future/

Dynamic learning through Humber's micro-credentials - Education News Canada

"I was very interested in taking the micro-credential and it was about getting some practical knowledge and hands-on experience with AI," said Legate.  A micro-credential is a competency-centred offering that is standalone, short in duration and focuses on a skill or topic responsive to industry, employer, or community needs. It allows skills and competencies to be learned in a flexible, fast, and affordable way.  Frank Cappadocia, dean of Continuous Professional Learning, said Humber offers nearly 50 micro-credentials. Most take less than 30 hours to complete, and many can be completed in even less time.  

https://educationnewscanada.com/article/education/level/colleges/2/1103552/dynamic-learning-through-humber-s-micro-credentials.html

The Microcredential Generation - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed

Their classroom is a little unusual. In fact, it’s not a room at all. The students are out on a forested logging site in the Kennebec Valley, a rural area of Maine. Neat piles of logs sit in the distance. A whiteboard hangs off of a truck. Heavy machines, which from afar look like large metal creatures, are waiting to be used. McDonough is enrolled in Northern Maine Community College’s mechanized logging operations and forest trucking program. Free to students and organized in partnership with the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, the five-month program offers a pretty sweet-sounding deal: a logging credential along with commercial driver’s license training so the students can also haul the logs they’ve learned to cut. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/alternative-credentials/2024/10/01/microcredential-generation

'Adult money' and no college debt: Harris and Trump back alternative routes to good jobs - Karissa Waddick, USA Today

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump disagree – a lot. But, as the 2024 campaign heats up, the candidates appear to have found consensus on at least one topic: the need to get more young Americans into apprenticeships and trade schools.  Harris announced recently she would cut college degree requirements for some federal jobs and encourage private sector employers to do the same if she is elected in November.  

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/09/29/harris-trump-college-jobs/74967902007/

Building a Future-Ready Workforce - Neph Rivera, UT Arlington

Learning new skills does not end the day one earns their university diploma. Through microcredentials, students and professionals alike can brush up on areas they are familiar with or dive into something new to bolster their resume by completing short training programs. Microcredentialing, skills-based learning, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace were the themes of a special conference hosted by The University of Texas at Arlington, in coordination with The University of Texas System, Coursera and Lightcast.

https://www.uta.edu/news/news-releases/2024/06/20/building-a-future-ready-workforce

How to Choose a Microcredential - Sarah Wood, US News

In the U.S., the public has more familiarity with degrees than short-term credentials, says Marni Baker Stein, chief content officer at Coursera, an open online course provider. "There's a lot of information about short-form credentials out there on the internet that people can search for," she says. "But one has to really make sure that you are reaching out to a trusted source because there's so much misinformation out there around certificates and their value." Here's what to consider before pursuing these credentials.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-choose-a-microcredential

UH adds micro-credential opportunities to bolster workforce development - University of Hawaii News

Students at University of Hawaiʻi campuses will soon have a new opportunity for academic and professional certification through micro-credentials offered through the university. Through a new UH policy, faculty members can now design micro-credentials linked to existing credit courses to target specific areas in their fields of study. “This new micro-credentials policy will enable interested faculty members to partner with local employers—whether they be businesses, non-profit organizations, or other state agencies—to design and deliver a short-term curriculum that addresses immediate industry needs,” said UH Associate Vice President for Academic Programs and Policy Alan Rosenfeld.

https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2024/09/10/micro-credential-opportunities/

USF unveils Office of Microcredentials for lifelong learning and career advancement Tatiana Del Valle, University of South Florida-

As professionals strive to stay competitive in their fields, USF’s new Office of Microcredentials and Registration Services will meet the growing demand for non-credit education opportunities. Microcredentials are essential to ensure lifelong success, and a learning community with the proper support and resources is more valuable than ever.  The solution to closing the skills gap is the result of a partnership between USF Lifelong Learning and Innovative Education. This new office will serve as a resource for high-quality, accessible learning opportunities that enable professionals to gain the qualifications needed to secure high-level jobs and continue skill-building in pursuit of becoming industry experts.  

https://www.usf.edu/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2024/usf_unveils_office_of_microcredentials.aspx

How micro-credentials are spurring deeper collaboration between community college and employers - Alcino Donadel, University Business

“One of the keys to our success has just been our ability to pivot very quickly and respond to industry demands.” Here’s another: WSU Tech is leveraging the “untapped market” of short-term certificates and other micro-credential opportunities through deeply intentional employer collaborations. It has integrated each of its academic offerings with non-credit certificate opportunities to meet industry partners’ demands. Its partnership this academic year with SkillStorm, an IT service management company, introduces Wichita’s workforce to stackable, credit-bearing certificates in Amazon Web Services’ cloud computing suite.

https://universitybusiness.com/how-micro-credentials-are-spurring-deeper-collaboration-between-community-college-and-employers/

Liberal Arts Microcredentials on the Rise - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed

John Davis, dean of the College of Music at University of Colorado at Boulder, finds that today’s music students want more than a traditional music education. Many want the technical skills to compose and produce tracks on their laptops or to pursue new kinds of music careers, such as writing scores for video games. To meet that demand, the College of Music has developed a set of microcredentials in recent years, including an undergraduate badge in arts administration and certificates in topics including music technology, singing health and music entrepreneurship. The last comes with a minor in business in partnership with the university’s business school.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/alternative-credentials/2024/05/08/students-pursue-microcredentials-liberal

Dartmouth students explored summer internships in the arts - Emmy Martinez, the Dartmouth

Before their off terms, Dartmouth students of all majors scramble to secure internships. By and large, pre-med students look for research or shadowing positions, government majors seek out policy-related internships and economics majors scrounge for opportunities in finance. But what do students who study the arts look for when searching for a job? While the obvious answer is an internship simply related to “art,” the reality is that the job market offers an array of different creative opportunities. 

https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2024/09/arts-internships

Inside Quantum Internships at IBM with Experiences from the Frontlines - James Dargan, Quantum Insider

IBM Quantum provides a dynamic environment for aspiring quantum computing experts, as shared by interns Ari Noori and Abigail McClain Gomez in an IBM Crosstalk podcast. Noori, now a full-time engineer, highlighted the importance of networking and personal connections in securing opportunities, while McClain Gomez emphasized collaboration with IBM’s research scientists. Both interns agreed that their experiences at IBM have been pivotal in shaping their career paths in quantum computing, offering technical skills and career clarity.

https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/21/inside-quantum-internships-at-ibm-with-experiences-from-the-frontlines/

EIU Wins IBHE Grant To Support Rural Community Health Via Paid Interns - Effingham Radio

Eastern Illinois University has been awarded $44,500 in co-operative work-study grants from the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) to provide compensation to students in health internships in rural counties across East Central Illinois. With support from the grant, EIU is able to place 10 students with partner organizations serving Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland and Wabash Counties as interns assisting in meeting those communities’ local rural health needs. The program provides compensatory support for EIU’s student interns, who work in those communities as they complete degree requirements and prepare to enter the workforce.

https://www.effinghamradio.com/2024/09/21/eiu-wins-ibhe-grant-to-support-rural-community-health-via-paid-interns/

Enhance Your Life Certification Program - Professional Development Online Certifications and Credentials at a Discounted Rate, US Army

Through partnerships with AUSA’s National Partners and accredited universities, we offer a pathway to personal and professional development. Participants gain access to a range of online courses aimed at obtaining certifications and credentials that not only enhance their skills within the Army but also prepare them for advancement opportunities and smooth transitions into civilian careers.

https://www.ausa.org/enhance-your-life-certification-program

NMSU Global to offer project management microlearning course - Emily Wickenhauser, New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University Global Campus is now accepting enrollments for the fall 2024 project management microlearning course, which begins Oct. 1. Designed to meet the growing demand for certified project managers, this online course helps professionals achieve the prestigious Project Management Professional and Certified Associate in Project Management certifications. These certifications are essential for those looking to advance their careers, increase earning potential and gain recognition as experts in project management.

https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-global-to-offer-project-management-microlearning-course/s/fe5ffdae-34ab-4d61-88aa-7e9ac440d35e

Bridging the green skills gap for learners and businesses - Globe and Mail

As Canada transitions to a green economy, it faces a significant gap in the development of the skills needed for an efficient and functional talent pipeline. Tackling such chasms requires bridge-building, a task to which Fanshawe College brings an impressive array of expertise, tools and allies, says Candace Miller, Fanshawe’s executive director of business development and strategic support. “I’m building bridges every day whether that’s by creating new pathways, new processes or new partnerships.” Addressing current – and considering future – labour shortages and skills gaps has been an important mission for Fanshawe, and Dr. Miller says these efforts are complemented by education and outreach to “create awareness and come up with collaborative and innovative solutions.”

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/adv/article-bridging-the-green-skills-gap-for-learners-and-businesses/

3 in 4 students are more likely to enrol at universities offering skills-based certifications alongside traditional degrees - OnRec

According to new data, three out of four (75%) students are more likely to enrol at universities offering skills-based certifications - ‘microcredentials’ - alongside traditional degrees.

51% of universities offer skills-based certifications known as micro-credentials, with 75% saying it attracts more students

However, despite 97% of education leaders endorsing micro-credentials as strengthening career outcomes, less than half (46%) of European institutions currently offer them for-credit

https://www.onrec.com/news/news-archive/3-in-4-students-are-more-likely-to-enrol-at-universities-offering-skills-based