Scott Cheney, CEO of Credential Engine, recently penned an article for the National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) Connections newsletter. The article makes the case for credential transparency, how it can bolster education and career pathways, and invites readers to get involved.
With such a rich field of credentials, learners and workers should have many opportunities to acquire skills and find good jobs. But this might not be the case. Learners and workers lack the information they need to properly navigate the credential maze and take advantage of their opportunities. Similarly, leaders lack the information needed to best support and develop education and training programs properly, effectively, and efficiently. We are at a time in our country’s history where the everchanging learn-and-work landscape has made choosing an education and training program a high-stakes choice for learners and workers. People cannot afford to navigate the credential landscape haphazardly.
What is needed is credential transparency. We need to make essential information about credentials and competencies public, easily accessible and comparable, and actionable so that credentials can be better understood and pursued based on what it takes to earn them, what they represent, how they connect and stack, and the jobs they can lead to.”