Students are increasingly turning to microcredentials to boost their career prospects
Sarah Asch
October 23, 2024
Microcredentials include phlebotomy, welding and IT.
Fall means it’s college application season, but a growing number of students are looking for post-high school opportunities outside a traditional four-year university.
Hundreds of thousands of young people have pinned their hopes on what are called microcredentials as a quicker pathway to in-demand careers. Programs vary widely, with students getting certified to become phlebotomists or welders or earning credentials for specific information technology skills.
Sara Weissman, who reports for Inside Higher Ed, said microcredentials run the gamut and can be issued for a specific skill set, or even for more general skills like emotional intelligence or networking.
“They’re offered by a really wide range of providers,” she said. “Community colleges, nonprofit and for-profit universities and all sorts of companies, from big names like Google or LinkedIn to others, and online course providers as well.”
