Building Trust; Inspiring Change - Micro-credential Multiverse’s Approach to Creating Credential Currency

This month, we are excited to share a few milestones from the past few weeks, in addition to highlights and in-depth analysis from our recent participation in the C3 Webinar Series, where I had the honor of presenting alongside Dr. Adiena Holder, Walmart’s Director of Badging. There are a lot of great resources baked into this article, so be sure to scroll through and grab the ones you need!

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Developing Beneficial Skills-based Ecosystems

Held on: May 15th, 2024

This session featured pioneering insights from Dr. Adiena Holder, DBA, Walmart’s Director of Badging, who explained the work Walmart is doing concerning skills integration in every part of the talent life cycle. In addition, Robert Bajor , the Founder and CEO of Micro-credential Multiverse , discussed how micro-credentials effectively link learning experiences to career opportunities.

This webinar was a must-attend for educators, policymakers, and industry leaders looking to navigate the future of talent development and credentialing in the increasingly dynamic talent marketplaces.

Presenters:

• Robert Bajor discussed how Micro-credential Multiverse effectively links learning experiences to career opportunities. He outlined our strategy to overcome institutional and business challenges using our skills-based micro-credential ecosystems, highlighting key client successes and measurable outcomes. Attendees heard inspiring stories and learned about the transformative impact of our programs across the United States.
• Dr. Adiena Holder shared Walmart's commitment to integrating skill development throughout the entire talent lifecycle in collaboration with Walmart Foundation partners. This initiative was designed to enhance every stage of associates' careers, from hiring and training to advancement, creating opportunities, and fostering growth across the organization.

About the C3 (Connecting Competency Communities) Webinar Series

The C3 Webinar Series is a platform designed to bring together thought leaders, educators, and industry professionals to discuss critical topics in education, workforce development, and credentialing. Each session aims to provide valuable insights and actionable strategies to help organizations and individuals navigate the evolving landscape of skills and competencies. The C3 Webinar Series is supported by the T3 Innovation Network.

About The T3 Innovation Network

The T3 Network's (T3N2) mission is to enable the digital transformation of the talent marketplace by promoting data interoperability and harmonization across diverse stakeholders, including: employers; education, training, and credentialing providers; government agencies; and technology partners. This digital transformation will ensure that

1. all learning counts;
2. skills are used like currency; and
3. learners and workers are empowered with data to pursue education and employment opportunities.

The T3 Innovation Network is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation .

🔗 Visit the USCCF website

Our Presentation: Building Trust; Inspiring Change

Micro-credential Multiverse’s Approach to Creating Credential Currency

Our May 15th presentation showcased how Micro-credential Multiverse bridges the gap between learning experiences and career opportunities for diverse stakeholders. Through real client stories, we highlighted our action-oriented approach to solving institutional and business challenges by supporting the development of rigorous, motivational, and industry-aligned micro-credential ecosystems.

The Why: Addressing the Skills Gap

Like any great conversation about micro-credentials, first we discussed the current state of the workforce and the pressing need for skills-based hiring. With approximately 30% of the workforce changing jobs annually and the average person changing careers 5-7 times in their lifetime, there's a clear demand for adaptable skills. Micro-credentials offer a solution by providing targeted, verified skill sets that benefit both degree holders and those without a degree or traditional educational pathways.

Micro-credentials offer a powerful solution to this challenge. By providing targeted, verifiable skill sets, they benefit both degree holders looking to add specific skills to their resumes and workers without degrees who need to demonstrate their capabilities. These credentials are designed to be flexible, stackable, and aligned with industry requirements, making them an ideal tool for bridging the gap between education and employment.

Key Takeaways:

• Rapid Workforce Changes With 30% of the workforce changing jobs every year and career changes occurring 5-7 times in a person's working life, there is a pressing need for adaptable and relevant skills.
• Skills Gap 95% of executives report challenges in finding employees with the appropriate skills, a situation exacerbated by the fast-paced evolution of technology and job requirements.
• Lifelong Learning As the landscape of required job skills continues to shift, lifelong learning becomes essential. About 73% of adults consider themselves lifelong learners, with many engaging in professional development to advance their careers.
• Economic Impact Effective micro-credentialing can enhance economic resilience by ensuring that both employees and employers can quickly adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

Micro-credentials are not just an educational innovation; they are a critical component in building a workforce that is prepared for the future. By addressing the skills gap, micro-credentials create a more adaptable and sustainable economy, benefiting individuals, businesses, and society.

The What: Understanding Micro-Credentials

After covering “the why” in the first section of the presentation, we moved onto the “the what” in terms of what the fundamental aspects of micro-credentials are, narrowing our view on meaningful and functional definition, program structure, and stakeholder-specific benefits. We also introduced this section with our “Skills Continuum,” which is a powerful conversational and architectural tool we leverage to guide conversations and unlock understanding.

What is a Micro-credential?

Micro-credentials are certifications of assessed learning that are additional, alternate, complementary to, or a formal component of a traditional qualification. They focus on providing flexible, focused, and accessible knowledge and skills that are aligned with industry needs.

Key Characteristics of Micro-credentials:

• Short: Micro-credentials are designed to be short, targeted learning experiences.
• Aligned: They are aligned with the needs of industry and other stakeholders.
• Rigorous: The skills and competencies associated with micro-credentials are rigorously assessed.
• Portable: The ownership of micro-credentials is exclusive to the earner, making them portable and shareable.
• Verifiable: They must be transparent and verifiable by third-party systems using open standards technology.
• Interoperable: Micro-credentials use open technology, making it easy for computers to read, share, and use the data.

Success Stories

Next, we shared success stories from our partnerships with the Technical College of Georgia System, Alamo Colleges, and Sumo Logic. These institutional and business success stories unpacked our approach and demonstrated the efficacy of our consulting partnerships, the impact of our client’s micro-credential ecosystems, and our unique ability to support diverse programs that recognize unique communities of learners pursuing career opportunities through technical education, corporate upskilling/reskilling, and more!

Success Story 1

Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG)

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), formerly the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE), is the state government agency supervising Georgia's 22 technical colleges. Technical College System of Georgia also oversees the adult literacy program and economic and workforce development programs. Our collaboration with TCSG exemplifies the transformative potential of micro-credentials in supporting workforce development and career transitions.

Key Challenges and Goals

TCSG faced several challenges that required innovative solutions to enhance their credentialing and workforce development programs:

• High Quality Awards Ensuring quality assurance standards across all digital badges and pathways across 22 colleges.
• Rigorous Assessment Implementing robust assessment strategies and outcomes for all digital badge-aligned programs, including for-credit and non-credit programs.
• Valuable Credentials Aligning awards with the needs of local employers and learners, while reinforcing career and academic outcomes among college issuers through a unified, highly scalable approach.
• Secure, Portable, and Verifiable Experiences Making all digital badges and pathways verifiable under the issuing organization, enabling anyone to verify the authenticity of the award anywhere, anytime.

Our Solution

To address these challenges, Micro-credential Multiverse implemented a multi-faceted approach:

• Weekly Meetings Engaging the team and key decision-makers in regular meetings to ensure alignment and progress.
• Tailored Training and Q&A Conducting expert-led training sessions covering different aspects of developing a high-quality digital credentialing ecosystem.
• Strategic Documentation Developing a personalized strategy to scale the program quickly and efficiently.
• Technical Support Providing ongoing technical support to develop exemplar, data-rich micro-credentials and stackable learning pathways that scale.

Deliverable Highlight: The TCSG Procedure Manual

One of the deliverables included in this engagement was the “Digital Badging and Learning Pathway Procedure Manual” (Below). This foundational document gave the team an organized, actionable, and validated strategy for long-term micro-credential success. Here are some of the things the manual includes:

• Issuer Strategy Outlining the strategy for issuing micro-credentials.
• Continuous Improvement Plan Ensuring ongoing improvement and refinement of the credentialing process.
• For-credit and Non-credit MC Framework Establishing frameworks for both for-credit and non-credit micro-credentials.
• Digital Badging Principles Defining what is badged and what is not.
• Shared Definitions, Pathway Architecture, and Governance Plan Providing clear definitions, pathway architecture, and governance guidelines to ensure consistency and quality.

Results

The collaboration with TCSG has yielded impressive results:

• 22 Issuing Organizations
• 52 Learning Pathways
• 6840 Digital Badges
• 148,955+ Awards

One standout success story is the partnership between Savannah Technical College and the Heroes Make America program at Fort Stewart. This program supports service members transitioning to civilian life by providing fast-track certification in manufacturing and logistics career pathways. The program enjoys a near 100% placement rate, with graduates earning an average of $25-30 per hour in entry- and mid-level roles in the field.

The success of the TCSG partnership demonstrates the power of micro-credentials in addressing workforce development challenges and creating meaningful career pathways through a unified systems approach. TCSG has developed a robust and scalable micro-credentialing ecosystem that supports learners and employers through rigorous standards, tailored training, and strategic documentation.

Success Story 2

The Texas Micro-credential Learning Network

In the summer of 2023, a collaborative initiative called the Micro-Credential Learning Network (MLN) was unveiled by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and Alamo Colleges District (ACD). This initiative provided participating Texas institutions with unique opportunities to gain insights and receive assistance in creating actionable micro-credential strategies. Here’s a comprehensive look at the MLN:

Key Challenges and Goals

The MLN was designed to address several key challenges and goals:

• Comprehensive Understanding Provide a thorough understanding of the micro-credentialing process to all participating institutions.
• Institutional Collaboration Foster collaboration and strategic alignment across multiple Texas-based institutions to ensure cohesive and effective implementation of micro-credential programs.
• Learner-centric; Industry-aligned Ensure that micro-credentials meet both industry requirements and learner needs, promoting relevance and applicability in the job market.
• Strategic Planning Support the development of actionable strategic plans through mentorship and guidance from industry experts.

Our Solution: A Multi-faceted Approach

The MLN employed a multi-faceted approach to achieve its goals:

• Asynchronous Coursework Resource-rich, asynchronous coursework was designed to demystify the micro-credentialing process and support strategic development quickly.
• Collaborative Workshops Workshops were conducted to address challenges, expand on use cases, and facilitate institutional collaboration.
• Mentorship Institutional mentors explored success stories and connected with participating institutions to provide 1-on-1, actionable support.
• Subject Matter Experts Three industry-leading subject matter experts were contracted to project manage and execute the MLN with success.

Deliverable Highlight: Strategic Planning Template

Through a collaboration between Micro-credential Multiverse and the MLN, a robust template was used to guide each participating institution through the strategic planning process. This template surfaced critical developmental components alongside best practices, examples, and research findings from industry-leading programs to ensure the success of each participating organization’s micro-credential program. These components included:

• Technology Plan Detailed plans for technology integration to support micro-credentialing initiatives.
• Funding and Resources Securing and allocating necessary resources to sustain the programs.
• Launch Strategy Developing comprehensive strategies for launching micro-credential programs effectively.
• Institution-specific Objectives Tailoring the program to meet the specific objectives of each participating institution.
• And much more!

Results and Feedback

The MLN received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants:

• 100% of the participating institutions rated the Micro-Credential Learning Network as either Excellent (82%) or Good (18%).
• 9 out of 10 participants said the MLN was instrumental in shaping their future micro-credential plans.
• 9 out of 10 participants would endorse the MLN to their peers and fellow institutions.

By implementing these comprehensive strategies and solutions, the Micro-Credential Learning Network has successfully supported Texas institutions in creating effective, industry-aligned micro-credential programs that meet the evolving needs of both learners and employers.

🔗 Visit the Micro-credential Learning Network website

Success Story3

Sumo Logic

Sumo Logic, a modern SaaS log analytics platform, partnered with Micro-credential Multiverse (MCM) to reimagine their internal professional development and continuous upskilling approach. The goal was to create a continuous learning and development culture, providing employees with personalized and flexible learning opportunities that align with their professional growth goals and Sumo Logic's strategic priorities.

Key Challenges and Goals

Sumo Logic faced several key challenges that required a strategic approach:

• Empower Employees Encourage employees to take ownership of their learning and development journey by providing personalized learning opportunities.
• Continuous Learning and Development Foster a culture that supports continuous learning and development, contributing to individual growth and overall organizational success.
• Strategic Alignment Align Sumo Logic’s offerings with strategic priorities to ensure employees acquire the skills and competencies needed to achieve company goals.

Our Solution

MCM implemented a comprehensive solution to meet these unique business challenges:

• Create a Source of Truth Developed strategic documentation articulating a long-term vision, goals, objectives, guiding principles, questions, and success metrics.
• Interviews and a light Professional Development System Audit Collected qualitative and quantitative information to evaluate the effectiveness of the current state and create intentional interventions. This process included individual and group interviews with members of the team. These interviews were later used to formulate the action plan, instructional model, pedagogical approach, and overall program architecture. (ask us how we used AI to supercharge this process!)
• Action Plan + Curriculum Review Established a curriculum review process to identify specific areas of effectiveness in the current program state and codify the process into a replicable template for future curriculum review processes.

Deliverable Highlight 1: Strategic Plan

The strategic plan included several key components to ensure ongoing success, including:

• Key Performance Indicators Defined to measure progress and outcomes.
• Ongoing Professional Development (PD) Approach Developed approaches for onboarding and ongoing PD, including goal-based modules and skills-based outcomes.
• Outcomes and Continuous Improvement Established continuous improvement processes and a regular curriculum review procedure and cadence to ensure the program remains effective and relevant.
• And much more!

Deliverable Highlight 2: Action Plan

The action plan encompassed a variety of components to support Sumo Logic's goals:

• Onboarding PD (First 30) Comprehensive onboarding PD approach for new hires aligned with needs surfaced through the interviewing process.
• Ongoing PD (30+) Continuous professional development modules for employees beyond their first 30 days, capitalizing on the need for deep cross-functional expertise and collaboration.
• Goal-based Modules Learning modules focused on achieving specific, organizationally aligned goals.
• Skills-based Outcomes Evidence-producing, competency-based modules that are designed to develop and assess specific skills.
• Instructional Strategies Strategies to ensure rigorous assessment, effective learning, and continuous improvement.
• And much more!

The implementation of the strategic plan and action components has yielded significant results for Sumo Logic:

• Sumo Logic has successfully catalyzed a culture of continuous learning and development.
• Employees have been empowered to take ownership of their learning journeys, aligning their professional growth with the company's strategic priorities.
• The strategic alignment has ensured that employees possess the skills and competencies needed to achieve the company's goals.

The success story of Sumo Logic exemplifies how a strategic approach to micro-credentialing and skills-based professional development can transform an organization's learning culture. By leveraging MCM's expertise, Sumo Logic has developed a sustainable model for continuous learning and upskilling, ensuring both individual and organizational growth.

🔗 Visit the Sumo Logic website

Get Started with Micro-Credential Multiverse

Are you ready to enhance your organization's learning and development strategies with micro-credentials?

At Micro-Credential Multiverse (MCM), we offer three options to support you every step of the way:

By choosing MCM, you are partnering with a leader in the field of micro-credentials. We are committed to helping you unite learning experiences with career opportunities, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.

If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to contact us or visit our website. We look forward to working with you to achieve your learning and development goals.

🔗 Visit our professional services page to learn more!

One more thing - Join Us at the 2024 Badge Summit!

We are excited to announce that Micro-credential Multiverse will attend, present, and sponsor the The Badge Summit @ CU Boulder on August 5 - 7 in beautiful Boulder, Colorado, on the University of Colorado Boulder campus! This premier event is a gathering of educators, industry leaders, and innovators who are passionate about the future of learning and credentialing.

Don't Miss Our Badgesplaining Session

Join us for our Badgesplaining Session, where we will share inspiring success stories, showcase examples from the field, and provide valuable resources. This session will help you understand how micro-credentials can unite learning experiences with career opportunities, bridging the gap between education and employment.

Why Attend?

• Engage with Experts: Meet and interact with thought leaders in the field of micro-credentialing.
• Gain Insights: Learn from our real-world examples and success stories that highlight the transformative power of micro-credentials.
• Network: Connect with other attendees who are dedicated to advancing the future of education and workforce development.

Our Commitment as a Sponsor of the 2024 Badge Summit

As sponsors of the 2024 Badge Summit, we are committed to supporting the growth and development of the micro-credentialing community. Our sponsorship ensures that attendees have access to the best resources, sessions, and networking opportunities available.

Be a part of this exciting event and join us in our quest to unite learning experiences with career opportunities. We look forward to sharing our knowledge and collaborating with you to advance the field of micro-credentials.

🔗 Visit the 2024 Badge Summit website

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