USask announces new micro-credentials in sustainable irrigation - University of Saskatchewan

Two new micro-credentials at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) provide professionals the opportunity to gain knowledge in water management and irrigation agronomy. The new non-credit, community-level Sustainable Irrigation program is offered by the College of Agriculture and Bioresources (AgBio) at USask. Learners have the option to use their completed courses in this program towards two different micro-credentials; Sustainable Irrigation - Irrigation Agronomy, and Sustainable Irrigation - Water Management. The program is designed for agronomists, agrologists, producers, engineers, and anyone who is interested in sound decision-making in irrigated agriculture.

https://educationnewscanada.com/article/education/level/university/1/1108548/usask-announces-new-micro-credentials-in-sustainable-irrigation.html

Why micro-credentials, creativity, and practical experience are so important - Times of India

Over the past few weeks, TOI conducted the first phase of our Technovate for India programme – in association with startup ecosystem builder Talrop – in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana. The objective of the campaign, which we will do across 35 states & Union territories over an 18-month period, is to encourage students to digitally skill themselves and to use that knowledge to build startups that solve big problems. Talrop, as the company’s COO Jones Joseph said at these events, has been doing some unique projects in Kerala in association with schools and colleges, and believes the models can be extended across the country. He said their school projects are designed to ignite curiosity in students. In colleges, they are building tech hubs where companies can come and interact with students to help them understand what industry needs. They are creating a pool of mentors, setting up funds for startups. “We are building an ecosystem that will reduce the failure rate of a startup,” Joseph said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/times-techies/why-micro-credentials-creativity-and-practical-experience-are-so-important/articleshow/114754347.cms

Are traditional degrees enough: The rise of micro-credentials - People Matters

In today's rapidly evolving job market, traditional university degrees are no longer enough to meet employer demands and the changing work environment. As technology advances and industries grow more complex, there is a growing need for specialised skills and targeted knowledge. For centuries, university education has been viewed as a gateway to a successful career, yet general academic qualifications alone may no longer suffice for securing jobs in many sectors. For example, a software engineer requires more than just an engineering degree to work in blockchain technology. This gap between general education and specific job skills has led to a significant mismatch in the workforce.

https://www.peoplematters.in/article/skilling/are-traditional-degrees-enough-the-rise-of-micro-credentials-43223

Skilled trades gain traction with Gen Z, report finds - Benton Graham, Higher Ed Dive

About 9 in 10 Gen Z graduates said learning a skilled trade can be a better route to economic security than college, home services app Thumbtack found. Social media is increasingly driving an interest in skilled trades careers among members of Generation Z, generally defined as people born from 1997 to 2012, according to a report from home services app Thumbtack. Social media is the second-largest driver of Gen Z career paths, with 55% of Gen Z respondents now saying they are considering a career in the skilled trades, up 12% from last year, Thumbtack says in its Future of the Skilled Trades report. The Thumbtack report also found that 93% of the Gen Z graduates and 80% of the parents surveyed said learning a skilled trade can be a better route to economic security than college.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/skilled-trades-shortage-gen-z-training-hvac-electrical-plumbing-contractors-thumbtack/729998/

1 in 6 Companies Are Hesitant To Hire Recent College Graduates - Intelligent

In August, Intelligent.com surveyed 966 business leaders involved in hiring decisions at their company to explore attitudes toward hiring recent Gen Z college graduates. What we found:

75% of companies report that some or all of the recent college graduates they hired this year were unsatisfactory

6 in 10 companies fired a recent college graduate they hired this year

1 in 6 hiring managers say they are hesitant to hire from this cohort

Hiring managers say recent college grads are unprepared for the workforce, can’t handle the workload, and are unprofessional

1 in 7 companies may refrain from hiring recent college graduates next year

9 in 10 hiring managers say recent college graduates should undergo etiquette training

https://www.intelligent.com/1-in-6-companies-are-hesitant-to-hire-recent-college-graduates/

Positive Partnership: Creating Internships for Community College Students - Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed

A September policy brief from the left-leaning think tank New America finds, while 70 percent of community college students work, they’re less likely to land paid internships or work in jobs related to their fields of study. A winter 2023 Student Voice survey found one-quarter of two-year students had never had an experiential learning opportunity or internship. “Given the high share of community college students working to meet financial obligations, work-based learning should provide high enough wages, work hours, and schedule flexibility to be accessible to the many students who want to participate,” according to the policy brief.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/life-after-college/2024/10/25/employers-four-year-colleges-provide-community

HEPC Launches Microcredential Initiative To Prepare Workforce For Changing Economy - Chris Schulz, WVPublic Broadcasting

State education leaders hope to prepare the state’s workforce for big economic changes with short courses called microcredentials. Microcredentials are short, focused courses that educate and certify learners in a particular subject. Schools like West Virginia University already offer such courses. But the Credential WV program from the Higher Education Policy Commission is working to expand and standardize microcredential offerings across the state to meet the growing demands of industry and economic development. Corley Dennison, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, said teams from all of the state’s institutions, as well as industry leaders, came together for a microcredential summit earlier in October.  

https://wvpublic.org/hepc-launches-microcredential-initiative-to-prepare-workforce-for-changing-economy/

Helping students unlock career opportunities with Adobe Creative Skills micro-credentials - Brian Johnsrud, Adobe

 At Adobe, we offer many different types of credentials, from micro-credentials to professional certifications in essential digital and creative skills to help students stand out to employers. Shorter stackable micro-credentials can be particularly helpful to teach and showcase a number of specific skills that often aren’t taught in schools today. Through our Adobe Creative Skills program for college students, we offer twelve self-paced courses that teach the most in-demand skills, from using generative AI, to presentation design and delivery, to editing short social media videos that pop. 

https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/10/21/helping-students-unlock-career-opportunities-with-adobe-creative-skills-micro-credentials

Report: Employers Still Don’t Understand Or Trust Education Badges - Derek Newton, Forbes

Because there were so many, because there was no regulation or oversight to assure quality or competency, because there was no standardization or segmentation of badges, people had no idea what they meant. One badge could represent watching a four-minute video, while another could represent a hundred hours of expert-led, one-on-one instruction and fieldwork. An observer could never tell – and that made digital learning badges confusing at best, useless at worst. Based on a new report from UpSkill America, a project of The Aspen Institute, digital badges are still highly confusing and of very limited value.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereknewton/2024/10/20/report-employers-still-dont-understand-trust-education-badges/

PCI Launches Online Certificate Course On Rational Use of Medicines and Life Sciences Sector - Skill Development Council

The PCI has partnered with the Biotechnology Research Innovation Council (BRIC)– Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to offer an online course on rational medicine use for pharmacists. The course was launched on April 30, 2024. This program aims to equip pharmacists with the knowledge to promote responsible use of medications within the community. Pharmacists can register and take the course through the THSTI Learning Management System (LMS) portal accessible online and via a mobile app. Upon completion, a certificate will be issued, valid for license renewal under CEP requirements of the Pharmacy Practice Regulations, 2015.

https://www.legalitysimplified.com/pci-launches-online-certificate-course-on-rational-use-of-medicines-and-life-sciences-sector-skill-development-council/

The Rise Of The Micro-Credentials Movement: Validating Skills Beyond Traditional Degrees - Aditya Malik, Forbes

Traditionally, the conventional approach to education involves a lot of time and money investment through a comprehensive curriculum. Institutional prestige steps in as a bias; there’s a lot of theory involved, much more than practical experiments, and the earned credential becomes a gatekeeper toward employment, irrespective of whether there’s a skills mismatch with the role in question. In contrast, micro-credentials are like supplements, whereas traditional degrees are full-course meals. Suppose you have an iron deficiency in your body—it wouldn’t make sense to load up on beans, nuts and red meat for every meal. That would be costly, boring and time-consuming. But you can easily supplement with ferrous sulfate or other approved variants and get your iron levels balanced while still enjoying your meals.

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2024/10/18/the-rise-of-the-micro-credentials-movement-validating-skills-beyond-traditional-degrees/

Law Firms Are Turning to Online Training Platforms as Apprenticeship Model Falters - Rhys Dipshan, Law.com

While the pandemic showed the potential of training employees through online platforms, law firms are finding they can still embrace that method as new pressures continue to make more traditional training less viable. The pandemic upended how law firms train their employees—no longer could associates learn from partners at the office, but instead, had to rely on webinars or Zoom. Many, however, bemoaned that something valuable was lost through teaching staff remotely. Fast forward to today, and while the pandemic is in many attorneys' rearview mirror, training in law firms hasn't snapped back to how it was in the days before COVID-19. Increasingly, law firms are turning to legal education startups that marry digital, remote training with more hands-on instructions, to teach their staff and hone their skills.

https://www.law.com/2024/10/17/law-firms-are-turning-to-online-training-platforms-as-apprenticeship-model-falters/?slreturn=20241018162055

Microcredentials - University of Miami (Ohio)

88% Of employers said a Microcredential helped a job candidate stand out. - 

Advancing Higher Education with Industry Micro-Credentials, Coursera report

6/10 Workers will require retraining between now and 2027. - 

Future of Jobs Report, World Economic Forum

4,320 Microcredential badges awarded as of April 2024. - 

Miami University Data

https://miamioh.edu/online/microcredentials/index.html

Adobe aims to teach AI, online content skills to 30 million - Steven Melendez, Fast Company

Courses will include material on using AI to create content from video thumbnails to visual effects around text—and doing so ethically, including paying attention to issues around intellectual property. They’ll also cover skills around creating content for social media, digital marketing, and image creation and editing. The course material, which will include video instruction and follow-up work, will generally emphasize Adobe Express, a creativity app that offers some features for free, and will be accessible through a phone, tablet, or computer with a web browser. 

https://www.fastcompany.com/91208628/adobe-aims-to-teach-ai-online-content-skills-to-30-million

To Woo Law Firms, Legal Training Platforms Are Combining Hands-On and Online Learning - Ella Sherman, Law.com

However, the apprenticeship approach in which law firm partners mentor and train new associates isn't always feasible. While associates can gain valuable hands-on experience, firm partners may be unsuitable or unable to teach due to the demands of keeping up their billable hours. Still, firms place a premium on such experiential training. That's why emerging online platforms such as HotShot and AltaClaro are looking to move beyond recorded lectures by trying to find a balance between hands-on learning and the convenience of online training. "You have these video programs, and you gotta click through, and after a while, it's just watered down, you're not really paying attention," AltaClaro founder and CEO Abdi Shayesteh said. "Doctors get to practice through cadavers. … Why not get lawyers to practice through fake clients and receive feedback on it?"

https://www.law.com/legaltechnews/2024/10/10/to-attract-law-firms-legal-training-platforms-are-combining-hands-on-and-online-learning/?slreturn=20241014172309

Enhancing career opportunities with online training - BigRigs Australia

TAFE Queensland offers a range of online micro-credentials that can be studied at your own pace at any time, which provide the perfect opportunity to expand your career opportunities during any time off this summer. As clean energy solutions continue to gain traction in the automotive and transport industries, a TAFE Queensland micro-credential can deliver basic knowledge to support your transition alongside the industry. With no pre-requisites and low cost, micro-credentials offer a perfect opportunity to build knowledge in emerging industry areas to assist your career transition or lead into further, accredited study.

https://bigrigs.com.au/2024/10/14/enhancing-career-opportunities-with-online-training/

To Woo Law Firms, Legal Training Platforms Are Combining Hands-On and Online Learning - Ella Sherman, Law.com

However, the apprenticeship approach in which law firm partners mentor and train new associates isn't always feasible. While associates can gain valuable hands-on experience, firm partners may be unsuitable or unable to teach due to the demands of keeping up their billable hours. Still, firms place a premium on such experiential training. That's why emerging online platforms such as HotShot and AltaClaro are looking to move beyond recorded lectures by trying to find a balance between hands-on learning and the convenience of online training. "You have these video programs, and you gotta click through, and after a while, it's just watered down, you're not really paying attention," AltaClaro founder and CEO Abdi Shayesteh said. "Doctors get to practice through cadavers. … Why not get lawyers to practice through fake clients and receive feedback on it?"

https://www.law.com/legaltechnews/2024/10/10/to-attract-law-firms-legal-training-platforms-are-combining-hands-on-and-online-learning/?slreturn=20241014172309

How micro-credentials are steering engineers towards a greener future Caroline Riches - Caroline Riches, Create

Micro-credentials are a modern solution to age-old problems. They allow busy professionals to enhance their skills without pausing their careers, and enable industries to quickly fill knowledge gaps and tackle future challenges. Michelle Marsden, Senior Manager of Micro-Credentials at Engineering Education Australia (EEA), said small opportunities to upskill are “lacking”. “We have formal qualifications, but we need more micro-courses that enable organisations and individuals to access targeted topics based on their needs,” she told create. “Micro-credentials are flexible and adaptable, allowing an organisation to reskill or upskill for a particular project, for example.”

https://createdigital.org.au/micro-credentials-engineering-workforce/

The rise of micro-credentials in career outcomes - Nikolaz Foucaud, The HR Director

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. Just over half of universities now offer microcredentials as part of their curricula, with 75% saying that their provision attracts more students. They can also contribute to improved retention: for students who have previously paused their traditional degree, 75% expressed increased interest in returning to education if micro-credentials were offered. This is according to research*, based on a study of 1,058 higher education leaders from 852 institutions across 89 countries. Coursera currently offers job-relevant courses, including 125 Professional Certificates, to over 148 million learners worldwide. 

https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/education/rise-micro-credentials-career-outcomes/

The Microcredential Generation - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed

A fast-growing number of traditionally college-age students are bypassing degrees to pursue cheaper and faster alternative credentials. Why are so many choosing this path, and will the journey pay off? Like a growing number of students coming out of high school, McDonough knew early on that he didn’t want to get a degree. Going to college felt like squandering time and money to him, and his parents agreed. “Oh, they love it,” McDonough said of the logging program. His dad told him “he would rather me actually do this than go to school, that I’d just waste time. I don’t want to go there anyways, so no point in spending a couple years at it.” He reached out to the logging program a few years ago while still in high school, and if the college had let him, he would’ve enrolled then and there. “I didn’t like school much,” he said. “I didn’t want to go through that again.”

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

Exploring the potential of micro-credentials: A systematic literature review - Giedre Tamoliune, et al; Fronteirs In

Mindful of growing critique in some circles and recent publications, this paper offers an informed analysis of the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery across a spectrum of dimensions, including supporting innovation in higher education institutions (HEIs). It reports a systematic literature review analysis of scientific articles published between 2015 and January 2022 on micro-credential research in the field of higher education. Results of a bibliometric and qualitative content analysis from 32 scientific articles provided insights into the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-pandemic recovery through social, economic, and higher education innovations.   

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.1006811/full