10 Kinds of Micro-Credentials

MICRO-CREDENTIALS AND THE SKILLS CHALLENGE 

10 Kinds of Micro-Credentials

The skills challenges faced by employers in Canada are very real, with 1 million unfilled job vacancies reported in the summer of 2022 alone. 

Governments have invested in various measures to help rapidly equip jobseekers with the skills and competencies they need to take these jobs, while at the same time expanding the number of places at colleges and universities in programs that relate to skills in demand. Yet the problems persist.

Canada also has a productivity challenge. It lags significantly behind its US counterparts who are 18% more productive than Canadian workers. In the long term, this has an impact both on wages and on economic growth. A more highly skilled and effective workforce can have an impact on wages, profits and growth.

The development of micro-credentials, led by significant investments from the Government of Ontario, is a specific response to the skills challenge. So how “solid” a response is it?

In an analysis of available micro-credentials in Canada, there are 10 distinctive types¹:

1. On-demand micro-learning leading to badges. For example, the Ontario Work-Based Learning Consortium has developed a suite of micro-learning modules, each of which takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Covering topics such as “understanding blueprints” and “choosing the best precision measuring instrument,” these on-demand self-directed learning modules meet skills needs as they arise. Other organizations and institutions offer short, on-demand modules with badges so learners can demonstrate and share their skills and competencies with employers or potential employers.
2. Gap-based, competency-driven learning. Rather than having to complete an entire course or program of study, students are assessed (using competency assessments) and their demonstrable capabilities accepted. A personalized program of study is then developed, which enables the learner to secure the balance of skills through a variety of learning routes. Calgary Economic Development is sponsoring trustedskills.org, which is pioneering this approach on a small scale for specific careers in arts marketing. The intention is to expand this to a broad range of occupations, while curating learning pathways using AI technologies. 
3. Social and non-profit micro-credentials. Non-profit, public and philanthropic organizations also have skill shortages and upskilling requirements. They are responding by offering short courses online (6-10 weeks) requiring 6-8 hours of study. Athabasca University’s PowerEd, for example, offers the Rick Hansen Accessibility Certification via this route. Wellness Works Canada does something similar with its asynchronous assessment and learning program for those who work on workplace health and wellness.
4. The “tease” micro-credential. In this version of the micro-credential, a college or university offers shorter, topic-based courses that introduce aspects of a longer (usually one semester, three-credit) course. At the University of Ottawa, for example, the undergraduate micro-credit is equivalent to either 1 or 1.5 credits and may be “stacked” to create a three-credit elective course, transferable to a degree.
5. The industry-driven micro-credential. A post-secondary institution partners with an industry association, employer or professional body to offer a micro-credential in which the competencies and assessment methods are driven by the industry. The intention is to guarantee that “graduates” have the legally defensible skills employers are seeking. For example, FutureLearn (a global MOOC provider) has partnered with CISCO to offer a 10-week (10-hour) module and three modules  (30 weeks, 30 hours) micro-credential that leads to CISCO networking Certification. A similar program is offered by Centennial College in Ontario.
6. The pick-n-mix micro-credential. Both Royal Roads University and UBC offer students a chance to “build their own” certificate with a focus on leadership and management. Both require a small core of competencies, and then learners choose their program electives from a range of options. Royal Roads offers its program onsite while UBC delivers its program entirely online.
7. Faculty-driven micro-credentials. These are common in the UK and Australia (with some examples in Canada) in which a university or college allows a faculty member to “showcase” their course. An example is the University of Newcastle (Australia) nine-hour course (offered via edX), Fairy Tales – Meanings, Messages and Morals. Successful completion of this course can be counted as part of an undergraduate degree. 
8. Assessment-only micro-credentials. Learners call for an assessment of their knowledge, skills and capabilities against a competency profile, and if they are assessed as competent, they are awarded a credential. If they are partially successful, guidance is provided as to what they need to work on to complete the credential. The University of Wisconsin Flex program in the US offers certificates in Health Care Informatics, Project Management, Business Analytics and Substance Use Disorder Counselling by this route. Coursework is not required.
9. The short course. Many Canadian micro-credentials are short courses based on an existing program of study delivered either in class, online or through hybrid learning. They may or may not have a competency-based framework or be supported by industry, but they represent a college or university view of what may be helpful to employers. Few are available on demand.
10. The industry-delivered short course. This micro-credential is designed and delivered by industry or a profession, available on demand and delivered either fully online or through hybrid learning (often with a bootcamp component). IBM, for example, offers its own role-based badges. 

The micro-credential space is evolving. It needs to continue to change or become more refined to have a substantive, lasting impact on productivity and skills. 

[1] This analysis was conducted for a specific purpose – the full analysis of the the landscape of micro-credentials will be released at a later date.