Our new video is live! It puts forth a shared vision for credential transparency—why we need it and what is possible with it. With Credential Transparency, essential information about credentials and competencies are public, easily accessible, and actionable so that credentials can be better understood and pursued based on what it takes to earn them, what they represent, and the jobs they can lead to. But with nearly one million credentials in the U.S., it is easy for people to be overwhelmed and get lost. Credential transparency can shine a light on pathways from education/training through careers so people can be successful. But all of us must work together to make it a reality. We hope the video is helpful for you and for all of our partners to express why you believe in this work. Hopefully, it can also lead to larger conversations about the importance of credential transparency and motivates others to get involved. Learn more.

New Legislation on CTDL and Publishing to the Registry: The State of Connecticut recently passed Senate Bill No. 1202 during the June Special Session (Public Act No. 21-2, Section 264) which requires the state’s Office of Higher Education to create a database of credentials offered in the state. Its purpose is to allow stakeholders across the state to better explain the skills and competencies earned through a credential—both in uniform terms and plain language using the CTDL. This legislation is based on a larger effort in New England (and nationally) to create standardized descriptors of credentials and publish those data to the Credential Registry. Stay tuned for additional information as the work advances! Read the legislation.


New Series of Policy Briefs: Seven state leadership organizations and five workforce, education and data advocacy/technical assistance experts have come together to coauthor a series of Policy Briefs that build awareness, understanding, and guidance for how state policy can integrate credential transparency into education and workforce development strategies. These Briefs explore credential transparency in relation to other topics such as: Quality Assurance; Equity; The Role of States in Credential Transparency; and Aligning Education and Employment Information to Meet State Talent Goals. The goal of these Policy Briefs is to ensure that policy creates systems for credentials to be easily accessible, understood, comparable, connected to other critical education and workforce data, and communicated so that they serve everyone. Read more.

State Success Stories: Our state partnership webpage features an interactive map that allows website visitors to explore the many state and regional partnerships Credential Engine has established across the country. To paint a fuller picture of how states, agencies, organizations, and education institutions are working toward credential transparency, Credential Engine is developing state Success Stories. We invite you to read our latest ones from Washington, New England, and Minnesota. We look forward to soon sharing Success Stories from Maine and Connecticut. Explore our state partnerships.

 

New Resource on Credential Quality & Transparency: Americans need clear and reliable information about their educational options and how to navigate them. Good data on credential quality and transparency helps people select a path that leads to equitable economic and career success. Creating an impact with Credential Quality and Transparency is a state policy toolkit that guides states on how to improve credential quality and transparency. It illustrates how states can use the quality non-degree credential framework (outlined by National Skills Coalition) and the linked open data network, common description language, and publishing platform created by Credential Engine to better map and understand non-degree credentials. Explore the Toolkit.

Webinar Recording: The recording of our July 21, 2021 webinar “Updating Already Published Organization and Credential Data” is now available! In this video, Scarlett Jeckel, Credential Engine’s Accounts and Publishing Coordinator, provides a helpful overview of how to update organization and credential data once it has been published to the Credential Registry. Topics covered include how to access your credential data, how to make updates, and how to approve of your updates so they may be published into the Credential Registry. The video also encourages viewers to publish using Credential Engine’s Benchmark Models for Publishing. View the Recording.

A new version of the Credential Finder is on the way! The Credential Finder is a web-based application that allows users to search, find, and compare credential information. Our tech team has been hard at work to create an updated sample interface to exemplify the types of tools you can create to access Credential Registry data. While fully functional, the Credential Finder is intended to serve as an inspiration for the types of custom applications that organizations, institutions, and agencies can develop. Stay tuned for future updates!