We understand that using our systems happens on your timeline, not ours, and that having resources readily available to help guide you through your publishing and consuming needs is of top priority. 

The resources on the site will continually expand and evolve based on user needs and updates to the Credential Registry. You can filter the resources available on this site by the different tools we have available or by the different types of data you can publish to the Credential Registry. 

We will be offering a webinar on April 2nd, at 1PM Eastern, where Credential Engine staff will take a deep dive into the guidance resources offered, go over the variety of information available on the site, and demonstrate how to use this site. Register here today! 

When credential data is made available in a linked open data format, it can empower learner-facing tools for the best pathways, help employers and workers understand the skills needed for a career path, and inform policymakers on how best to help their communities. It all starts with making that data available and open, and the Credential Registry Guidance site is here to help you every step of the way. 

Read the full announcement here.
 

Credential Transparency Included in New U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship FOA: A new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)  from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Apprenticeship Building America, Round 2, continues the Department’s inclusion of credential transparency requirements for all credentials and competencies developed or delivered as part of the grant. Specifically, the FOA states: 

"The Department wishes to ensure that individuals, employers, educators and training providers have access to the most complete, current and beneficial information about providers, programs credentials, and competencies supported with these public, federal funds. To this end, the Department requires that information about all credentials (including but not limited to diplomas, badges, certificates, certifications, apprenticeships, licenses, and degrees of all levels and types) and competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) developed or delivered through the use of these public federal funds be made publicly accessible through the use of linked open data formats that support full transparency and interoperability, such as through the use of credential transparency description language specifications. ETA will provide specific guidance and technical assistance on data elements to include in the published open data, such as information about the credential provider, the credential and its associated competencies, delivery mode, geographic coverage, the industry sector(s) and occupation(s) for which the credential was developed, related assessments, related accreditations or other quality assurances where appropriate, costs, and available outcomes.” 

Credential Engine thanks DOL for its continued support of credential transparency. If you are applying for this FOA and are seeking support around the credential transparency requirement, please check-out our Federal webpage or contact us at [email protected]. 
 

New Letter Responds to U.S. Department of Labor Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: In a recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), they are seeking to make revisions to registered apprentice programs. In a letter from the Data Quality Campaign, Credential Engine signed on to support recommendations calling for more credential data transparency, encourage the leveraging of State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) for apprenticeship reporting purposes, clarify the use of wage record data for outcomes purposes, encourage some expansion of wage records, improve data transparency, align reporting timelines, and consider leveraging the apprenticeship system to meet the field’s need for more data professionals. We hope that the DOL will consider these recommendations in the upcoming rule-making. 

New Case Study Highlights Credential Engine State Partner, Texas: In a recent study from the Bush Center, Texas is highlighted for its commitment to creating a better and stronger workforce. Texas, through the work of the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative - which includes the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board - is working towards “building a strong workforce by investing in cross-agency collaboration, modernizing data systems, and making essential information about credentials public, easily accessible, and actionable.” They are doing this by creating a publicly accessible library of essential information about credentials (diplomas, certificates, certifications, digital badges, apprenticeships, licenses, and degrees). Through the use of the open-source CTDL-linked open data schema and Credential Engine’s open technologies, the Tri-Agencies are publishing rich data to the Texas Credential Library. This library will allow the base for a more accessible and actionable workforce. Read more about this work here.

Solution Showcases, Indiana and Colorado: The CTDL makes essential information about credentials, skills, jobs, and pathways consistent and easy to understand. CTDL is human- and machine-readable, enabling solutions that empower learners to find the best pathways, employers to confidently hire skilled workers, credential providers to clearly describe credentials of value, and policymakers to understand better how to support their communities’ needs. Making those solutions known to the public is the purpose of our Solution Showcase page, where we highlight the solutions our partners, like Indiana and Colorado, have developed to benefit learners, workers, employers, credential providers, policymakers, and more. View the webpage here and contact us at [email protected] to talk about highlighting your solution. 

Update to State Partner Meeting Cadence: For our valued state and regional partners, we're transitioning from monthly to quarterly meetings. We hope this change will allow you time to participate and share your expertise with us in other ways, like providing feedback and joining task groups to inform CTDL development and learning new ways to expand credential transparency.

Unlock Skill Assessment Potential with CTDL Rubrics: CTDL rubrics offer versatility, applicable not only for assessing individuals’ skills but also for evaluating organizational capabilities and assessing the quality or suitability of products, services, and more. On February 29th, we offered a webinar that delved into the CTDL update process, highlighted the latest enhancements supporting detailed Rubric descriptions, and introduced options for publishing and consuming rubric data. If you are interested in learning more about our publishing options and how to get started publishing Rubric data, click here.