What Are Micro-Credentials?

CaptureNowadays, most employers expect their workers to continually seek out learning opportunities. Micro-credentials offer students and working professionals alike a way to bulk up their resumes with field-specific skills.

Micro-credentials are like certifications. Students or professionals take courses and develop specific skills in certain fields. This could include topics like:

Teaching writing in K-12 classrooms

Leading effective business meetings

Customer service e-mail etiquette

Applying leadership skills in the workplace

Front-end web development

…and thousands more.

Micro-credentials are also sometimes called:

Digital badges

Micro-certifications

Web badges

Mini-degrees

Nano-degrees

How Are They Earned?

Earning a micro-credential is like taking a shortened version of a college course. Some are online, some are in a classroom setting. For a badge, you might be asked to:

Complete a number of assignments

Attend lectures/seminars

Present a portfolio of work on the subject

Pass assessments or skill tests

Attend national/international conferences

Display application of knowledge in a work setting

Earning a micro-credential can take anywhere from four weeks to a year, depending on the skill being developed and expectations of the course.

Are Micro-credentials Important?

Employers and employees both seem to be in favor of gaining skills for professional development.

In a recent survey of human resource managers across different industries:

95% were interested in the micro-credentials of potential hires.

76% say they want opportunities for career growth

15% have increased the amount spent on training and development of employees in 2014

To see an infographic summarizing this information, visit: http://www.onlineschoolscenter.com/micro-credentials/

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