Dive Brief:
- A registry aimed at increasing the transparency of workforce credentials is being developed by George Washington University, Southern Illinois University, and Workcred, a nonprofit focused on improving the country’s credentialing system.
- The registry will provide descriptions of credentials, how they are earned, and how they relate to other degrees, certificates, and badges.
- The database is part of a wider project with dozens of partner organizations that also plan to develop apps for students, employers, and educational institutions, which would be able define their own competency statements.
Dive Insight:
The Lumina Foundation has supported this initiative with a $2.25 million grant. The goal of researchers and educators is to create a common language with which to discuss and evaluate disparate credentialing systems. Once a framework is developed, employers will be able to more clearly articulate what their workforce needs are, giving colleges and other certificate-granting institutions information about how to structure successful programs. The registry could also serve as an additional way for colleges and other programs to market themselves.