What is a microcredential?
A microcredential is a short course that certifies an individual’s knowledge in a particular area or subject. It is a small, specialized certification that allows employees to focus on a specific skill or competency to upgrade their knowledge. They are designed to accommodate industries’ changing landscape, allowing employees to quickly gain new knowledge or skills. Microcredentials do not require the time or commitment of a more complex degree but instead allow individuals to gain expertise in a desirable skill quickly and efficiently.
Related: Supporting the Employee Lifelong Learning Journey
How do microcredentials work?
Educational institutes and professional organizations can all offer microcredentials. An employee might pursue a microcredential in a college or university by enrolling in a few select courses from the school’s catalogue. They may earn a microcredential through other providers after completing an online class, a series of workshops or an applied learning experience.
Some microcredential programs are conducted as scheduled in-person classes, while others are delivered online and at an individual’s pace. Once an individual has demonstrated expertise in the course, most programs deliver their microcredential with a unique digital badge. The badge includes metadata showing which courses they completed, where they were taken, and the completion date. Job seekers can display their badge on their resume, website or other social media platforms to showcase their achievements.
What is skills-first hiring?
Skills-first hiring (or skills-based hiring) evaluates candidates based on their current and accumulated skills rather than degrees, prior positions and industry experience. In some industries, formal education and certifications are required. Although a traditional approach focuses on recent work experience and higher education first, a skills-first approach does the opposite, putting more emphasis on job-specific skills. Adding microcredentials to this approach allows employers to look for ongoing education and upskilling as a desirable quality in candidates.
Read more: A Beginner’s Guide to Skills-First Hiring
Why microcredentials should be part of your skills-first hiring practice
The landscape of the workforce has changed over the past several years. Employers are challenged to find quality talent in addition to meeting their diversity and inclusion goals. Many sectors continue recovering from the pandemic, AI is changing how we think and feel about the future of work, and the skills needed for job seekers continue to evolve at a rapid pace. This fast pace identifies the need for candidates willing to upskill and adapt as part of their career paths, making them more desirable to employers.
Microcredentials, as part of skills-first hiring, offer a path forward that meets the needs of employers, job seekers and an increasingly dynamic and changing labour market. Hiring for skills builds a workforce that reflects our diverse communities and makes better work accessible to all. Recruiting and hiring with a skills-first approach extends your reach to a broader, more diverse talent pool you may have previously overlooked.
Related: Skill-Based Hiring vs Degree-Based: Explanation and Pros and Cons
How to evaluate candidates based on skills
After identifying candidates who have the appropriate skills on paper, there are several ways you can verify those skills, including skills tests, work samples and job simulations. By asking a predefined set of competency-based questions in the same order and using a standardized scoring guide, hiring managers reduce bias and instead rely on data to support their decision-making.
For a list of pre-employment job assessments, review our Indeed Assessments, which are ready-made and customizable to help you evaluate candidates.
Related: Why soft skills matter more to employers than education and experience in a tight labour market
How can offering microcredentials benefit employers?
Once hired, employees can continue updating their skills and maintain a level of knowledge to keep them feeling challenged. This solution benefits employees and employers and can help reduce turnover. Microcredentials can be part of a company’s internal training and development program, offering courses to keep their employees’ skills up-to-date. If you are considering how microcredentials may benefit your organization, consider these three factors:
- Targeted skills development: Microcredentials allow you to train employees in a specific capacity, improving their skills and knowledge in areas directly relevant to the organization’s goals and objectives.
- Practical skills: Microcredentials focused on practical skills required in your business can be immediately applied in the workplace, with employees quickly adding value. While new hires may have acquired microcredentials elsewhere, more relevant training can immediately add value to the company goals.
- Competitive advantage: Companies who invest in microcredential programs can enjoy an improved workforce and a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Related: How Reskilling the Workforce Keeps Employees Happy and Builds Future-Ready Organizations
How can microcredentials help retain employees?
As an employer, offering microcredentials through your organization can help employees update their skills while accommodating their schedules. For some employees, taking time off to attend a course elsewhere can take time and effort. Offering onsite or online microcredentials to enhance desired skill sets can be a win-win for companies and their employees. Employees can also take multiple courses in a specific subject matter to develop a new, more extensive skill set.
Microcredential topics span multiple industries and professions, such as:
- Accounting
- Computer science
- Cybersecurity
- Data analytics
- Digital marketing
- Diversity and inclusion
- Grant writing
- Language proficiency
- Online teaching
- Project management
Related: Improving Employee Development: How to Create and Manage a Skills Inventory at Your Company
A skills-first approach focusing on microcredentials will help you make great hires and engage and upskill your employees to future-proof their careers and your organization. While there will always be some jobs that call for specific education requirements, for the many job industries and fields where transferable skills can be applied, a skills-first hiring approach helps employers find top talent, build a more diverse talent pool and increase retention.
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