A Nutrition Label for Credentials
Credential Engine, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), and the Education and Employment Research Center (EERC) at Rutgers University have launched a collaborative initiative to develop a standardized credential information label: a “nutrition label” for credentials.
The Problem
Information about programs, credentials, and skills is often inconsistent, fragmented, and difficult to interpret and compare.
- Learners are trying to decide which program is worth their time and money,
- Employers are trying to evaluate a candidate’s qualifications,
- Policymakers are trying to understand whether programs are meeting workforce needs.Â
This creates unnecessary barriers to opportunity and erodes public trust in the systems meant to support learners and workers.
Our Solution
Just as a nutrition label gives consumers a consistent, reliable way to understand what’s in their food, a standardized credential information label would give a common framework for understanding what a credential offers.
- Communicate key information across credential types, whether that’s a high school diploma, badge, micro-credential, certificate, certification, occupational license, or degree.
- Available as structured, open, linked, interoperable, and durable (SOLID) data formats.
How We’re Building It
This initiative will unfold over 12 months. Here’s what that looks like:
- Research and discovery: We will review existing frameworks for describing credentials, state dashboards, and other data sources to build a common vocabulary.
- Â Stakeholder engagement: Focus groups with learners, job-seekers, hiring managers, educators, and policymakers will inform what information matters most and how it should be presented.Â
- Prototype and test: Multiple prototype labels will be developed and tested with key stakeholders, then revised based on feedback.
- Consideration for adoption: The goal is a credential information label that can be widely used across the field and embedded in policy at the federal, state, system, and institutional levels.
Who We’re Working With
Credential Engine
Non-profit whose mission is to map the credentials, qualifications, and skills landscape with clear, accessible information.
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
Professional association representing more than 18,000 higher education professionals at approximately 2,300 institutions, collectively serving over 16.5 million enrolled learners.
Education and Employment Research Center (EERC) at Rutgers University
Researchers focused on credential quality and outcomes.
Trellis Strategies
Our selected research partner is leading stakeholder focus groups to shape the label’s structure, content, and design.
Share Your Perspective
This work is stronger with your input. We want to hear from learners, employers, educators, policymakers, researchers, and anyone else with a stake in how credential information is communicated.
What information matters most to you? How can the credential information label best serve your needs?
Get in Touch
Our team of experts is ready to help you embark your credential transparency journey. Whether you have questions about our technologies, services, or don’t know how to get started, we’re here to assist.