Nowadays, 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/
