Surging growth in the global market for alternative credentials is changing the game for business schools. A recent survey found that 71% of graduate business programs view alternative credentials as a critical strategy. Business schools are embracing certificates, micro-credentials and digital badges to meet market demand.
When building an alternative credential program, collaborating with employers is essential to identify the skills needed in the job market. A recent UPCEA report, however, found that company-higher education partnerships are decreasing, in part due to barriers to collaboration.
For business schools seeking to grow an alternative credential program, this seven-step checklist will help build a program that benefits the institution, students, and employers.
To make sure you have a robust foundation, make sure to:
● Determine the mission of the program and set goals to clarify what you hope to achieve
● Identify key performance indicators
● Convene a governing body to generate buy-in, spread the workload and promote accountability
● Establish a common language by defining the terminology the program will use
● Consider credential frameworks with categories such as prerequisites, time to complete and assessment
● Explore how credentials will age. Will there be expirations, will it need updating, or will it ever require revocation?
To develop a team of experts, you should:
- Identify internal team members to lead interactions, such as individuals with industry credibility
- Identify internal staff who can be credential champions and translate course content into credentials employers want.
- Seek industry leaders in digital credential development
- Create employer working groups for feedback. A total of 10-15 employer voices from small, medium and large businesses is a manageable size that still taps into a wide spectrum of ideas and networks
- Reach out to other collaborators, including workforce development professionals, labor organizations, chambers of commerce and community groups.
To create an impactful partnership, make sure to:
- Create industry surveys to understand what skill gaps exist and which skills boost student employability the most
- Ask faculty to use information from employer surveys to see where existing offerings align with industry needs
- Create industry and employer profiles with information about employment, retention and projected employment rates
- Organize an industry or sector summit to define how digital credentials support industry goals. Include companies, internal subject matter experts, government representatives and other organizations
- Establish working groups with internal staff and employer representatives to review what you’ve learned and explore badge ideas
Here’s how you can create meaningful digital credentials:
- Identify skill development areas based on what competencies are lacking
- Begin creating a credential taxonomy to define what achievements the badges represent
- Determine how individual credentials relate to each other within your credential system
- Write a short narrative to describe each credential, what it represents and why it’s valuable
- Determine what assessment criteria will need to be met
- Design the look and feel of credentials to support your institutional brand
Consider these features:
You can download our extensive checklist to help you choose the right digital credentialing platform for your institution.
To build an effective marketing campaign, make sure to follow the below:
- Prior to launch, develop messaging to clarify how digital credentials create opportunities for learners and employers.
- Highlight industry collaboration.
- Align your program with other initiatives, such as campaigns around student employability or alumni events.
- Develop a marketing plan and calendar for promotions and public relations.
- Encourage learners to share badges on social media.
You can analyze the credentialing program by taking the following steps:
- Debrief with employers to compare outcomes against the original objectives and determine the next steps.
- Solicit feedback from faculty and learners; review analytics to identify areas for improvement.
- Evaluate faculty and employer working groups to see where each provided additional value.