Today, Apprenti and Merit announced they have partnered to provide free digital completion certificates and a resume builder tool to all Apprenti graduates in the state of Washington.
Apprenti is the first nationally registered tech and IT apprenticeship program operated by the WTIA Workforce Institute. The Merit platform gives apprentices increased access and portability of their verified credentials and simplifies the resume creation process. Though over 81% of apprentices stay with their employer after graduating, some are looking for other opportunities and the Merit program makes verifying their experience easy for employers.
How it works for apprentices:
- Digital versions of apprenticeship program credentials, known as “merits,” are automatically sent to graduates.
- The merits include a digital completion certificate, as well as a direct link to the individual’s record in the State of Washington Labor and Industry’s Apprenticeship Program Directory.
- Program participants can access, manage, and share their merits through any web browser or on the go through Merit’s secure smartphone app, eliminating the need to carry a paper certificate.
- Merit recipients gain access to Merit’s online Resume Builder where they can easily create and maintain a showcase for their education, skills, and experience – for free.
- Potential employers can quickly and easily verify any merits using the included links or QR code built directly into the resume.
As an added benefit, these credentials incorporate the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) that captures, links, updates, and shares up-to-date information about credentials for easy organization and searchability. CTDL is a standard language to describe credential information developed by Credential Engine, a non-profit whose mission is to map the credential landscape with clear and consistent information.
“Incorporating the CTDL — which helps to make information about credentials more accessible, understandable, and actionable — is an added public benefit to the already great promise of this partnership between Merit and Apprenti,” says Eleni Papadakis, Chair of the Credential Engine Board of Directors, and Executive Director of the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board. “We are proud that Credential Engine’s technology is supporting this work and helping learners across Washington get the tools they need to get ahead.”
To learn more about Merit’s work with Apprenti, visit merits.com/apprenti.