Institutions increasingly turn to digital credentials to reshape their recruitment and admissions processes. Universities like Georgia Tech, the University of California, Berkeley, and Syracuse already use digital credentials to assess applicants holistically. By incorporating digital badges, microcredentials, and LERs, institutions can create richer, more accurate student profiles that go beyond traditional metrics like standardized test scores and GPA

For nearly half of the lower-wage employment analyzed, we identify at least one higher-paying occupation requiring similar skills in the same metro area. We also find that transitions to similar higher-paying occupations would represent an average annual increase in wages of nearly $15,000, or 49 percent.

As employers continue to face hurdles in identifying and hiring qualified talent, the potential for skill- and competency-based digital credentials is likely to grow

Makes the case for why trusted skills assertions can be the future of better connecting talented humans with opportunities they deserve

“Our relationship with Community College of Aurora exemplifies the best in finding workforce solutions. Together we dug into the details to develop curriculum and training experiences that prepare students to meet the requirements for specific job responsibilities in behavioral health.”

only about a third of the need for mental health professionals in Colorado is currently met, driving demand for additional qualified behavioral health workers. By offering microcredential pathways in patient navigation, peer support specialist, behavioral health associate, and behavioral health+, these new credentials are designed to address Colorado’s mental health workforce shortage by preparing people for these roles in less than one year

whether built as credit-bearing or non-credit pathways, microcredentials are by no means a substitute for the intensiveness or comprehensiveness of traditional higher education pathways.