Credentialing and Badging on the Rise in Workforce Development

Traditional degree programs are no longer the sole route to accessing sustainable career paths. Additionally, more career training programs are offering credentials and digital badges that are recognized in the industries they serve. These workforce development tools are growing in impact and helping reshape how employers find and hire skilled talent. They also help job seekers to validate their job skills when applying for a job and to better navigate their own career path. 

Why Credentials and Badges Matter to Employers and Job Seekers 

Industry-recognized credentials and digital badges are an incredible tool for both employers and job seekers. These credentialing programs are increasing in importance and impact in key industries, including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, IT, and healthcare. Major employers are now more than ever actively seeking training partners that offer credentialing programs. 

As recruiting and human resources professionals search for candidates who can demonstrate essential job skills, credentialing programs provide a simple way to do so. These programs are focused on job-relevant training that meets the immediate needs of employers who are hiring. The credentials act as verifiable proof that candidates possess the competencies that employers are looking for. This helps employers make better hiring decisions, reducing turnover and lowering hiring costs.

Applicants that have successfully participated in credentialing programs provide them with a competitive advantage in the job hunt. The programs can often be completed in less time (and at less cost) than traditional college degrees. For job seekers and employees looking to move up along a career pathway, they offer portable, verifiable evidence of their capabilities and help their job application to stand out in a challenging job market.

Beyond Getting the Job: Empowering Workers at All Levels with Skills-based Training 

Workforce development opportunities that offer credentials and badges are not reserved for entry-level or unemployed workers. In fact, as new technologies emerge within an industry, even experienced professionals benefit from professional upskilling and reskilling opportunities. Industry-recognized credentials are often stackable, allowing employees and job seekers at all levels to track and showcase the depth and breadth of their professional skills as they develop them throughout their career. 

Career training programs that offer credentialing and digital badging can help workers at all levels to:

• Move into new industries and along alternative career pathways with relevant training and verifiable skills.
• Advance within their current role along a recognized career pathway, supported by professional development and upskilling.
• Build confidence and improve performance in their ongoing career pathway.

Measuring Workforce Development Success with Credentialing Programs 

Credentialed career training programs offer employers – both large and small – a transparent and efficient way to recruit skilled talent. Earning industry-recognized credentials provides a measurable outcome for both employers and training providers. When linked to data on program completion rates, job placements, wage gains, and long-term career progression – verifiable credentialing and badging outcomes help show the true impact of investing in workforce development. 

Training providers that integrate stackable credentialing opportunities into their programs are responding to employer and industry needs by showing their commitment to trainee success. It’s a win-win for workforce development: better outcomes for workers and a more future-ready workforce available to employers.

CareerEquity Supports Credentialing Programs in Diverse Industries 

CareerEquity is working with training providers across the country and their employer partners to communicate the value of skills-based hiring linked to stackable credentials and digital badges. From apprenticeship programs in the clean energy industry to advanced manufacturing certifications, CareerEquity understands the value that verifiable credentials bring to employers, job seekers, and employees across industries. We’re committed to helping workforce development partners across the country implement these new tools that empower workers, strengthen employer pipelines, and drive economic mobility.

Interested in learning how CareerEquity can support your credentialing strategy? Let’s connect.