By 2030, there will be a global shortage of 85 million workers, many of them in technical fields, according to the World Economic Forum. Many industries that need to employ technical workers will be impacted by the shortage, which is projected to cost them up to US $8.5 trillion in unrealized revenue.
Many technical roles now require university degrees. However, as companies consider how to overcome the worker shortage, some are reevaluating their higher education requirements for certain roles requiring specialized skills.
Those jobs might include technician, electrician, and programmer, along with other positions that compose the skilled technical workforce, as described by SRI International’s Center for Innovation Strategy and Policy.
Positions that don’t require higher education widen the pool of candidates.
Even if they eliminate the need for a degree, organizations will still need to rely on some kind of credential to ensure that job candidates have the skills necessary to do the job. One option is the skills-based microcredential.
Microcredentials are issued when learners prove mastery of a specific skill. Unlike traditional university degrees and course certificates, microcredential programs are not based on successfully completing a full learning program. Instead, a student might earn multiple microcredentials in a single program based on demonstrated skills. A qualified instructor using an assessment instrument determines if a learner has acquired the skill and earned the credential.
The IEEE microcredentials program offers standardized credentials in collaboration with training organizations and universities seeking to provide skills-based credentials outside formal degree programs. IEEE, as the world’s largest technical professional organization, has decades of experience offering industry-relevant credentials and expertise in global standardization.
A seal of approval
IEEE microcredentials are industry-driven professional credentials that focus on needed skills. The program allows technical learning providers to supply credentials that bear the IEEE logo. When a hiring organization sees the logo on a microcredential, it confirms to employers that the instruction has been independently vetted and the institution is qualified to issue the credential. Credentials issued through the IEEE program include certificates and digital badges.
Training providers that want to offer standardized microcredentials can apply to the program to become approved. A committee reviews the applications to ensure that providers are credible, offer training within IEEE’s fields of interest, have qualified instructors, and have well-defined assessments.
The IEEE program offers standardized credentials in collaboration with training organizations and universities seeking to provide skills-based credentials outside formal degree programs.
Once a provider is approved, IEEE will work with it to benchmark the credentialing needs for each course, including the skills to be recognized, designing microcredentials, and creating a credential-issuing process. Upon the learner’s successful completion of the program, IEEE will issue the microcredentials on behalf of the training provider.
Microcredentials are stackable; students can earn them from different programs and institutions to demonstrate their growing skill set. The microcredentials can be listed on résumés and CVs and shared on LinkedIn and other professional networking websites.
All IEEE microcredentials that a learner earns are stored within a secure digital wallet for easy reference. The wallet also provides information about the program that issued each credential.
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