Small Credentials Now in High Demand
Interest in non-degree education programs has grown steadily for decades but has become particularly high since the pandemic. Whether billed as credentials, microcredentials, or another type of education, non-degree programs such as bootcamps and online certificate courses are quicker to earn and highly attractive to employers.
“They really set a bar of expertise,” said Michael S. Rader, P.E., CEM, president and chief executive officer at Barton Associates, Inc. in York, Pa. “It’s a tangible example of professional interest and development.”
According to a 2021 survey conducted by the Strada Center for Education Consumer Insights, 70 percent of those with both an associate degree and a non-degree credential said their education made them an attractive job candidate, compared to 43 percent of associate degree holders without a non-degree credential.
That translates to an increasing demand for courses. More than half of those who responded to a 2022 ASME Learning & Development survey expressed a desire to attain more knowledge and skills, leading the professional engineering society to increase its offering of credentials, according to ASME Director of Learning Experience & Excellence Mair DeMarco.
Microcredentials—short courses that verify competency in a particular area and culminate in the earning of a digital badge—help job candidates gain employment more quickly.
“You’re starting to see job postings now more than ever that don't require a college degree—these credentials are proof of a skill set,” DeMarco said.
Of course, the certification carries more weight when earned through a reputable organization, such as ASME, which goes through a rigorous, external accreditation process to ensure the highest quality.
Showcase Your Achievements and Professional Development
At the same time, given how rapidly skills in artificial intelligence and sustainability processes are advancing, DeMarco said employers are encouraging workers to seek out microcredentials more than ever before.
“Employers want to be able to train their workforce fast to increase productivity,” DeMarco said.
Rader explained that his company is looking for remote talent on a national scale—something he never had to do before COVID-19.
“It's more difficult to vet prospective candidates, so anytime somebody goes above and beyond demonstrates a deeper level of commitment,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’re looking only for somebody with alphabet soup behind their name, but there are specific credentials that are important to what we do.”
A 2023 report by digital credential platform Accredible found that 45 percent of employers on LinkedIn explicitly used skills data to fill their roles—up 12 percent over the previous year.
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A 2022 survey commissioned by online learning platform Coursera, meanwhile, revealed that 63 percent of employers agreed that the presence of an industry micro-credential would positively influence a hiring decision between two degreed candidates.
Earning a non-degree certificate can have financial benefits as well.
The Strada survey found that 85 percent of those who completed a certificate program between a week and a month said it was worth the cost, compared to 59 percent of those who completed a program between six months and a year. Meanwhile, median annual earnings are the same—$50,000—for associate’s degree and non-degree programs.
In addition, non-degree education programs are essential for providing underrepresented groups “with accessible avenues to showcase their skills,” DeMarco said, noting a 2021 Pew Research Center report that showed only 15 percent of engineering jobs in the United States were held by females, and 29 percent by non-whites.
The fact that credentials and microcredentials require less of a time commitment than traditional education programs works well for attention spans that have shrunk considerably in recent decades.
“You’re seeing more of these chunkable, stackable credentials as the learning and development space has adapted to the needs of today’s learners and their behaviors,” DeMarco said.
And if you’re seeking certification, “this is another way to practice for your exam,” she added.
Tell the world about your achievement
While credentials are impressive, Rader strongly suggested not putting too many letters in that “alphabet soup” he mentioned earlier. He recalled seeing one business card that had three lines of certifications in disparate areas underneath the person’s name—a move he describes as “a point of diminishing returns.”
“As you progress in your career and start to delve into what you’re interested in,” he said, “that’s where certifications—ones that are very specific to the path you’re proceeding on—make sense.”
Robin L. Flanigan is a business and technology writer in Rochester, N.Y.
“They really set a bar of expertise,” said Michael S. Rader, P.E., CEM, president and chief executive officer at Barton Associates, Inc. in York, Pa. “It’s a tangible example of professional interest and development.”
According to a 2021 survey conducted by the Strada Center for Education Consumer Insights, 70 percent of those with both an associate degree and a non-degree credential said their education made them an attractive job candidate, compared to 43 percent of associate degree holders without a non-degree credential.
That translates to an increasing demand for courses. More than half of those who responded to a 2022 ASME Learning & Development survey expressed a desire to attain more knowledge and skills, leading the professional engineering society to increase its offering of credentials, according to ASME Director of Learning Experience & Excellence Mair DeMarco.
Providing a boost
Microcredentials—short courses that verify competency in a particular area and culminate in the earning of a digital badge—help job candidates gain employment more quickly.“You’re starting to see job postings now more than ever that don't require a college degree—these credentials are proof of a skill set,” DeMarco said.
Of course, the certification carries more weight when earned through a reputable organization, such as ASME, which goes through a rigorous, external accreditation process to ensure the highest quality.
Showcase Your Achievements and Professional Development
At the same time, given how rapidly skills in artificial intelligence and sustainability processes are advancing, DeMarco said employers are encouraging workers to seek out microcredentials more than ever before.
“Employers want to be able to train their workforce fast to increase productivity,” DeMarco said.
Rader explained that his company is looking for remote talent on a national scale—something he never had to do before COVID-19.
“It's more difficult to vet prospective candidates, so anytime somebody goes above and beyond demonstrates a deeper level of commitment,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’re looking only for somebody with alphabet soup behind their name, but there are specific credentials that are important to what we do.”
Survey says
A 2023 report by digital credential platform Accredible found that 45 percent of employers on LinkedIn explicitly used skills data to fill their roles—up 12 percent over the previous year.Explore ASME's Collection of Free Learning Resources
A 2022 survey commissioned by online learning platform Coursera, meanwhile, revealed that 63 percent of employers agreed that the presence of an industry micro-credential would positively influence a hiring decision between two degreed candidates.
Earning a non-degree certificate can have financial benefits as well.
The Strada survey found that 85 percent of those who completed a certificate program between a week and a month said it was worth the cost, compared to 59 percent of those who completed a program between six months and a year. Meanwhile, median annual earnings are the same—$50,000—for associate’s degree and non-degree programs.
In addition, non-degree education programs are essential for providing underrepresented groups “with accessible avenues to showcase their skills,” DeMarco said, noting a 2021 Pew Research Center report that showed only 15 percent of engineering jobs in the United States were held by females, and 29 percent by non-whites.
More, faster
The fact that credentials and microcredentials require less of a time commitment than traditional education programs works well for attention spans that have shrunk considerably in recent decades.“You’re seeing more of these chunkable, stackable credentials as the learning and development space has adapted to the needs of today’s learners and their behaviors,” DeMarco said.
And if you’re seeking certification, “this is another way to practice for your exam,” she added.
Tell the world about your achievement
While credentials are impressive, Rader strongly suggested not putting too many letters in that “alphabet soup” he mentioned earlier. He recalled seeing one business card that had three lines of certifications in disparate areas underneath the person’s name—a move he describes as “a point of diminishing returns.”
“As you progress in your career and start to delve into what you’re interested in,” he said, “that’s where certifications—ones that are very specific to the path you’re proceeding on—make sense.”
Robin L. Flanigan is a business and technology writer in Rochester, N.Y.
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