Micro-credentials are the latest way for employees to develop new skills in an affordable and flexible way. And thanks to the ever-changing way we work, they’re a great way to keep up with the evolving demands of the workplace.
Micro-credentials are short, focused courses that aim to provide the most in-demand skills, knowledge, and experience. Unlike degrees, candidates can choose modules and fit them in alongside full-time work and any other commitments. They typically take just weeks or months to complete, rather than the years that a degree or similar would take.
Modules consist of online lectures, group discussions, project work, presentations, and complete tests. For a short course, they’re in-depth and thorough.
Courses are available from The Open University https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/microcredentials and The University of Glasgow https://www.gla.ac.uk/study/microcredentials/ .
And although these certification-style credentials cannot be used in place of diplomas or degrees, they can supplement existing qualifications. You can even stack them, building up micro-credentials and turning them into academic credit towards a post-grad degree or an accredited programme.
So, the question is, as an employer, should you be looking out for employees with micro-credentials, or encouraging current employees to gain them?
We recommend you do as this is a way to encourage life-long learning in your employees. It can boost engagement and demonstrates your loyalty to your people by investing in their skills and career development.
For more information on designing a great training course see our previous blog Designing Training Courses
In turn, this can help with employee retention, helping you to grow your team from within, feeding it from the bottom each time you need to hire.
You may even notice an increase in productivity when you enable your people to develop new skills. They’ll become more efficient, face fewer obstacles, and free up more of their time thanks to improved competency.
It all depends on the needs of your business, but popular courses right now are in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, and Digital Marketing.
For more advice on upskilling your team, get in touch.
Albany HR can support with
-Training plans
-Inductions
-People Plan
– Learning & Development Policy
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