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The value of microcredentials: The employer's perspective

Description:
Background: Competency-based hiring is beginning to catch on as employers insist on having a clearer understanding of an applicant's abilities before extending an offer of employment. Microcredentialing offers employees a mechanism to articulate their competency, and they offer employers a profound way to certify an applicant's abilities. Purpose: To seek an understanding of the value of a microcredentialing structure through employer perspectives. The central research question is, do employers see value in a postsecondary micro-credentialing structure? Method: This qualitative case study uses Skill Acquisition Theory and cultivated twenty-two industry professionals from various sectors, primarily from the early childhood education industry. Results: Several themes emerged from the data: The industry is not satisfied with employee skills, competency is the new currency, seat time does not equal education, a policy for issuing and securing microcredentials is necessary. Discussion: Employers were questioning the validity of a college transcript and suggested that applicants present microcredentials for key employment elements along with their transcript to certify further their ability to apply knowledge and skills. Conclusions: It is concluded that microcredentials would be beneficial to the holder and employers. To increase the value of these credentials, the participants suggested using a registry to track and report microcredentials earned. It was further concluded that institutions need to develop governing rules for issuing a microcredential, rules similar to those governing transcripts to ascertain and protect the validity of the credential. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Author(s):
Country:
United States
State(s):
Florida

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