Micro-Credentials in Post-Secondary Education

In the current world, employers search for staff with an all-rounded skill set. Micro-credentials are providing students and professionals with learning opportunities to attain field skills to enhance their respective resumes. The term micro-credentials refer to certifications received by students or professionals taking courses and consequently developing skills in the given courses’ fields. However, there is a continual debate whether introducing micro-credentials in higher education is ideal, with those against the notion claiming it undermines education. Therefore, there is a need for an in-depth analysis to illustrate the necessity of using micro-credential in post-secondary education because it enhances the education process.

Higher education’s primary purpose is to provide students with career and professional development skills useful for their lives after school. Micro-credential, also known as a digital badge, ensures the higher education’s purpose is achieved by offering an alternative and more effective approach through a competency-based learning model (Ghasia, Machumu & Smet, 2019). The foundation of micro-credentials is recognition of individual achievements, accomplishments, and skills attained at the end of a specific course comprising learning technical skills to develop a project that enhances human life; micro-credentials measure the students’ demonstration of the various skills learned during the course. Thus, through micro-credentials, the higher education students get an opportunity for the recognition of their skills honed during the course’s project and the efforts they put forth to do something useful for themselves and their communities; it motivates every student to participate because they are assured of appropriate recognition of their hard work (Lewington, 2019). There is a need to apply micro-credentials in post-secondary education as they offer an alternative approach to achieving the higher education’s principal purpose of providing students with career and professional development skills by recognizing individual achievements, accomplishments, and skills attained in the course; hence, motivating students to work harder to ensure recognition.

Furthermore, higher education is integral in equipping students with the fundamental skills that ensure competitive advantages during job interviews in their lives after school. Currently, every employer searches for employees with more on their resumes than academic achievements; they are continually employing candidates with a set of practical skills accompanying their academic accomplishments as it is believed that such candidates have more to offer for the organizations, particularly in generating creative ideas and during decision-making processes (Ghasia, Machumu & Smet, 2019). Micro-credentials ensure that students attain these practical skill sets during their higher education by offering opportunities to undergo a technical course learning process; the practical skill sets are attained through a supportive, intensive, collaborative, learning during workdays, data infused, and classroom-focused micro-credential technical course outline. Besides, when a student has a micro-credential, it paints a more complete and vivid image of their achievements, especially in attaining practical skill sets and individual expertise the current global employers demand during interviews (Lewington, 2019).  Hence, there is a need to introduce micro-credentials in post-secondary education because they equip students with the necessary practical skill sets and paint a picture of the individual students’ expertise, a requirement most employers worldwide are demanding in their employment procedures.

Using micro-credentials in higher education is integral as it illustrates a crucial tool in producing an all-rounded graduate, a fundamental goal of post-secondary education. In most higher education courses, the learning basis in achieving academic knowledge. Nonetheless, in the current world, academic achievement is a small part of the skills needed to survive in the real world and attain all of one’s missions and life goals; one needs to have a grasp of technical comprehension and social skills set that enables them to intermingle with others easily and develop income-generating ideas to live a satisfying life. Micro-credentials becomes critical for this achievement as it acts as a tool to produce a well-rounded graduate at the end of the higher education life; the graduate will illustrate an individual equipped with technical understanding, soft skills, and a social concern, vital skills for survival in a post- higher education life (Lewington, 2019). Therefore, incorporating micro-credentials in post-secondary education is essential; they act as tools to produce an all-rounded graduate equipped with the necessary after higher education survival life toolbox comprised of technical comprehension, soft skills, and being socially responsible.

In conclusion, there is a need for an in-depth evaluation to illustrate the necessity of using micro-credentials in post-secondary education to enhance the education process. Micro-credentials are certifications provided to students or professionals taking specific technical courses. One reason for the need for micro-credentials in higher education is to recognize various students’ skills honed during the course’s project as a sign of hard work. Besides, micro-credentials equip students with practical skill sets and expertise, which provide them with the needed competitive advantages demanded by employers. Micro-credentials act as a tool to produce a well-rounded graduate that can survive in an after higher education life because they are equipped with technical apprehension, soft skills, and a social responsibility.