8 The Power of Professional Development: How to Use Micro-credentials as an Organization

Micro-credentials document the competencies of individuals and encourage the development of skills necessary to be successful in their careers. Typically, they are not meant to replace higher education degrees but to supplement them by better identifying specific skills and knowledge. On the other hand, micro-credentials lessen the inequities of higher education pathways, such as cost and time constraints, making it an option for those unable to pursue a higher education degree. This option has been favored by historically and systematically excluded learners like those from low-income backgrounds; rural learners; those with learning disabilities; and Black, Indigenous, and Latinx learners. Currently, many learners are finding that higher education is not necessary to attain skills needed for high-quality jobs, and they are increasingly opting to create their own path. The variability in pathways signifies the current opportunity for learners to customize their own journey to success.

Micro-credentials in Action: Examples of Organizational Professional Development

Digital Promise works with dozens of micro-credential issuers, including the Clark County Education Association and Jefferson County Schools.

Clark County Education Association offers multiple pathways composed of several micro-credentials. These pathways focus on professional development topics such as 21st Century Learning through Global Education, Engaging Stakeholders in Effective Communication, Families as Partners in Education, and more. More than 18,000 educators can participate in the learning opportunities that these micro-credentials offer via their organization.

 

Jefferson County Schools takes the application of micro-credentials to a broader level. Starting in 2022, Jefferson County Schools has been developing micro-credentials with Digital Promise to provide both additional pay and opportunities to grow and learn in jobs. This program provides not only educators but also all regular JCS staff the opportunity to earn an extra $500 per micro-credential throughout the year by completing professional development outside of their already paid workday. This is a commitment from Jefferson County Schools to the people who make JCS great as they continue to learn and grow together.

 

Why Are Micro-credentials Valuable to an Organization?

The assessment experience required by micro-credentials enhances the professional development of an organization. An individual earns a micro-credential by successfully demonstrating competency, submitting evidence, and being assessed for the specific skill or set of skills by a subject matter expert. The assessment requires the individual to implement the new skill(s) in an authentic setting and show evidence of this implementation. The implementation verification is possible because of the metadata stored in the digital badge accompanying the micro-credential. This alleviates competency concerns organizations may have about their current or prospective employees.

Micro-credentials are a valuable option to increase productivity since they remove the time constraints of pursuing a degree. Organizations like Google and Amazon are developing micro-credentials to incorporate into their organization’s skills programs.

Micro-credentials are valuable to organizations when it comes to hiring because they “help narrow down the pool of potential candidates and select those who demonstrate the specific skills needed for a job” (Tamoliune et al., 2023, p. 10). Gauthier (2020) adds, “Micro-credentials would help employers identify an applicant’s authentic skills related to the job for which they applied” (p.4). The skill(s) that a micro-credential recognizes are lost in a degree or transcript. Today, a transcript does not provide detailed information on the individual’s accomplishments needed to demonstrate skills and competencies.

As influential representatives of their industries, employers are the key end consumers of micro-credentials and the driving force in determining and cultivating the skills these credentials should assess. With that established, organizations can offer micro-credentials to add value to professional development programs. The recognition that micro-credentials provide allow employees to upskill or reskill while also increasing productivity. Whoever views the micro-credential, be it a current or prospective employer, can verify that the individual is competent in that specific skill. Earning micro-credentials throughout a learning journey captures lifelong and life-wide knowledge, showing the individual is learning and improving themselves.