FGCU: The Power of Micro-Credentials
Micro-credentials at Florida Gulf Coast University provide flexible, competency-based programs that signal readiness for careers beyond traditional degrees. The digital badging initiative aims to recognize and signal strengths not directly shown on resumes, helping students become more aware of their valuable skills. FGCU is developing programs in partnership with leading employers to address skill gaps in the workforce, contributing to the success of the regional economy. Micro-credentials are designed to supplement, not replace, college education, providing skills needed for success without compromising the value of a degree.
Micro credentialing is possibility. Micro credentialing is endless possibility, really. As long as you have purpose, as long as you have quality, then you're going to be able to provide opportunities to people that they wouldn't otherwise have. And I think that's really what higher education should be doing. We really got started on micro credentials at FGCU by recognizing the issue. Right? One of the things that, really drove it was just recognizing that increasingly there's a desire on the part of employers to have something besides a degree or a major that signals somebody's readiness for their career.
Micro credentials, because of their short term application and credentials as a short credentials as a short term program of study that is intended to be done quickly. It's flexible, it's nimble, and it's something that is competency based. Creating a university wide digital badging initiative here at Florida Gulf Coast University has really allowed us to open the doors for learners of all ages and stages across the region. At FGCU, we have three different types of micro credentials that lead to the award of a digital badge. Industry specific, transferable skills, and continuing education and skills academy.
These categories are all aimed at different populations and with a different purpose. One of the goals of badging is to signal some of the strengths that students have that maybe aren't directly signaled by their resume. Some of the work that we've done in the transferable skill badging arena has really helped to make students, I think, more aware themselves of what their strengths are in terms of the skills that employers really care about. We're developing these programs in partnership with leading employers across the region and the nation. All of our partners are telling us things that they're looking for, and these micro really been an has really been an instrumental partner in allowing us to use micro credentials effectively and addressing some of these skill gaps in the work force.
When we are learning new things together with a partner, it's really nice to see that the partner is equally invested in changing these platforms to meet the needs of future learners. One of the things I really like about Canvas Credential, it's it's really designed to be flexible for you to create the badging program that works for you. Seeing the micro credential revolution has been meaningful. We are listening to what is really needed for success and and those skills that are needed, and we're finding a way to provide it to our students without compromising, what that degree stands for. We really have designed our micro credentials to not only make it transparent for students to articulate their value to employers, but also for students to actually be able to see what the connections are between what they're doing in their undergraduate experiences to that workforce.
All college education is general, but all jobs are specific. So I really the rule view the role of micro credentials. It's not to replace college education. It's to supplement it. This is our region, and we care about the success of our economy, of our workforce, of the well-being of people in this area, and this is our contribution. It's about always needing to transform the way that we educate people in our community so that they can realize potential.
Micro credentials, because of their short term application and credentials as a short credentials as a short term program of study that is intended to be done quickly. It's flexible, it's nimble, and it's something that is competency based. Creating a university wide digital badging initiative here at Florida Gulf Coast University has really allowed us to open the doors for learners of all ages and stages across the region. At FGCU, we have three different types of micro credentials that lead to the award of a digital badge. Industry specific, transferable skills, and continuing education and skills academy.
These categories are all aimed at different populations and with a different purpose. One of the goals of badging is to signal some of the strengths that students have that maybe aren't directly signaled by their resume. Some of the work that we've done in the transferable skill badging arena has really helped to make students, I think, more aware themselves of what their strengths are in terms of the skills that employers really care about. We're developing these programs in partnership with leading employers across the region and the nation. All of our partners are telling us things that they're looking for, and these micro really been an has really been an instrumental partner in allowing us to use micro credentials effectively and addressing some of these skill gaps in the work force.
When we are learning new things together with a partner, it's really nice to see that the partner is equally invested in changing these platforms to meet the needs of future learners. One of the things I really like about Canvas Credential, it's it's really designed to be flexible for you to create the badging program that works for you. Seeing the micro credential revolution has been meaningful. We are listening to what is really needed for success and and those skills that are needed, and we're finding a way to provide it to our students without compromising, what that degree stands for. We really have designed our micro credentials to not only make it transparent for students to articulate their value to employers, but also for students to actually be able to see what the connections are between what they're doing in their undergraduate experiences to that workforce.
All college education is general, but all jobs are specific. So I really the rule view the role of micro credentials. It's not to replace college education. It's to supplement it. This is our region, and we care about the success of our economy, of our workforce, of the well-being of people in this area, and this is our contribution. It's about always needing to transform the way that we educate people in our community so that they can realize potential.
Watch the full video to learn how creating a university-wide badging initiative at FGCU opened doors for learners of all ages and stages across the region.