Industry Feedback Needed for Alternative Workforce Credentials Survey

11/09/2015


Reminder: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is seeking industry feedback on a survey released by American Council on Education (ACE), created for employers, industry, and workforce representatives of all levels to share perspectives on alternative education credentials. The survey is open until November 23, and is part of ACE's Alternative Credit Project, geared to boost acceptance and integration of alternative education credentials across industry, businesses and traditional higher education programs.

Dr. Roy Swift, executive director of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-affiliated Workcred and co-director of the Credential Transparency Initiative, contributed to the development of the survey.

The ACE Alternative Credit Project—supported by a Bill and Melinda Gates grant—serves to ​ encourage greater acceptance of students' alternative credit, as there are over 32 million students who have some college credit but no formal academic degree. The project represents a solution to a more flexible pathway towards post-secondary education for legions of "non-traditional" students.

Dr. Swift served as a representative to the Competency-Based Education Working Group that developed the survey. The survey covers feedback related to credentials and certification degrees and their perceived value, as well as evaluation of employee communications skills. Employers, industry, and workforce representatives of all levels are encouraged to take the survey. Responses will be used to determine current and future industry demands for knowledge, skills and abilities, and feedback will influence emerging educational programs and to develop new transcripts that communicate more accurately what students know and can achieve with their knowledge.

Take the ACE Survey here.