Explore Credly’s Top AI Badges Across Foundational to Advanced Levels

Due to the rapid growth of AI, an additional 2.04 million tech jobs will be needed to implement and maintain emerging technologies. In the UK alone, around one in six UK organisations, have embraced at least one AI technology – according to government research.

AI upskilling and reskilling in the workplace is more essential than ever. However, with the vast range of AI topics, it can be challenging to know where to start. Some roles may have already touched on AI, and individuals may have different levels of understanding.

That said, all workers should have a foundational grasp of AI, with opportunities to advance as needed.

In this blog, we highlight the top AI courses available on Credly for various levels—Foundational, Intermediate, and Advanced and key takeaways to help you shape your AI learning strategy.

Different Mastery Levels on Credly

Before diving into the top badges, let's define the different badge levels available on Credly.

Each digital badge on Credly contains rich metadata, providing details about the type of credential, mastery level, time commitment, and cost. This metadata helps contextualize the badge, offering insights into what the credential represents and how it compares to others.

• Foundational (e.g., Beginner, Fundamentals, Level 1)
• Intermediate (e.g., Professional, Intermediate, Level 2)
• Advanced (e.g., Specialist, Expert, Level 3)

In this blog, we'll explore the top 10 badges at each level and highlight some common themes we observed.

Top 10 Foundational AI Badges

Foundational AI skills focus on basic concepts, tools, and techniques that provide a solid understanding of AI. These skills and courses are designed for beginners or those looking to build a base in AI before advancing to more complex topics. 

Top 10 Intermediate AI Badges

Intermediate AI skills dive deeper into practical applications, tools, and methodologies that allow learners to implement AI solutions in real-world scenarios. These courses are geared toward professionals who already have a basic understanding of AI and are looking to enhance their technical proficiency or apply AI in their specific industry.

Top 10 Advanced AI Badges

Advanced AI skills focus on specialized and cutting-edge AI technologies, including areas like machine learning engineering, generative AI, and enterprise-level AI deployment. These courses are designed for experts seeking to master the complexities of AI and lead innovation in their fields, requiring significant experience and technical knowledge.

Professional Machine Learning Engineer Certification Issued by Google Cloud	IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate (V2) Issued by IBM	Use Machine Learning APIs on Google Cloud Skill Badge Issued by Google Cloud
Freshdesk Expert Certification Issued by Freshworks	Develop Advanced Enterprise Search and Conversation Applications Skill Badge Issued by Google Cloud	Freshsales Suite Expert Certification Issued by Freshworks
SAS Certified Professional: AI & Machine Learning Issued by SAS	SAS Certified Data Scientist Issued by SAS	AI in the Cloud Issued by Intel
Certified AI Security Specialist Issued by Ampcus Cyber

Key takeaways

• Emphasis on Professional Recognition
  
  Many advanced badges are designed for professionals looking to validate their high-level expertise, such as the SAS Certified Professional: AI & Machine Learning and Certified AI Security Specialist. This shows a focus on industry-recognized credentials that signify a high degree of specialization and experience.
  
  
• Focus on Real-World Applications
  
  Advanced badges often emphasize practical, real-world applications of AI, such as enterprise search, generative AI solutions, and security. This indicates that advanced training is not just theoretical but also deeply tied to solving complex problems and deploying sophisticated AI solutions.

Actionable Steps to Bridge AI Skill Gaps in Your Workforce

With the growing need for AI expertise, taking a proactive approach to upskilling your workforce is essential. By leveraging AI badges across foundational, intermediate, and advanced levels, organizations can create clear pathways for skill development. These steps will guide you in building a robust AI learning strategy, ensuring your team is prepared for the evolving demands of AI technologies.

1. Conduct a Skills Audit: Evaluate your organization’s AI skills to identify gaps and areas for improvement. Use tools like Strategic Workforce Planning by Pearson to address these gaps and forecast future AI needs. [Discover more on how to identify & address AI skills gap in our blog]
   
   
2. Design Role-Specific Training: Create targeted training programs based on the different badge levels and the specific needs of various roles (e.g., technical professionals, managers, sales teams). Ensure the programs cover both technical skills and practical applications.
   
   
3. Incorporate Training on Responsible AI: Ensure employees understand the ethical and societal implications of AI by including modules on responsible practices. This helps organizations reduce risks of bias or unintended consequences.
   
   
4. Award Digital Badges: Invest in a digital credentialing platform to award digital badges upon completion of training modules and certifications. This recognition can motivate employees and provide clear evidence of their achievements.
   
   
5. Map Out Progression: Use Credly's new Pathways feature to automate badge issuing based on pre-set criteria. By defining a learning journey where earning multiple badges leads to an automatic Completion badge, Pathways motivates employees to advance their skills with clear, achievable milestones.
   
   
6. Measure Impact: Evaluate the impact of upskilling efforts on organizational performance, innovation, and competitive advantage. [See our metrics your C-suite will care about]

By taking these steps, organizations can effectively prepare their workforce for the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, ensuring they remain competitive, innovative, and ethically responsible in their AI endeavors.

Credly is the leading digital credential network, with 93 million badges issued to over 46 million earners. In the AI field, Credly offers over 2 million AI-related badges, helping professionals stay competitive and address the global skills gap. 

Access our latest Top 10 In-Demand AI Skills report, powered by Pearson's data, to discover the key skills to focus on for the future.