Publications and Events: Reports

March 2022

Certifications as Tools for Promoting Economic Mobility

This report discusses how the characteristics of quality certifications potentially make them useful tools for increasing the economic mobility of workers, expanding the talent pools for employers, integrating certifications in credentialing and career pathways, as well as the pitfalls of focusing on certifications primarily as quick-fix, short-term credentials to get people into a job.

March 2022

Accreditation Standards: The Primary Source of Quality Assurance for Certifications

This report highlights the broad consensus by the certification community that quality certifications are those that align with conformity standards for personnel certifications and are developed specifically for certifications by members of the certification community.

March 2022

Recertification: A Distinguishing Feature of Certifications

This report provides an overview of the recertification process, how it varies among certifications, the extent to which it achieves its stated purposes, and recommendations for improvements.

March 2022

Certifications: The Ideal, Reality, and Potential

Among workforce credentials, certifications stand out for their accuracy signaling skills of the certification holder, accessibility to people with varying levels of education and experience, and ability to motivate skill acquisition through recertification requirements. Yet, certifications are still not as widely known or understood as other credentials. This report highlights a set of policy and operational recommendations to increase the use of certifications and better integrate them into U.S. education and training systems as well as for areas in further need of research.

February 2022

Case Studies: Collaborative Models of Certification

Workcred and its Credentialing Body Advisory Council have developed an initial series of cases studies highlighting collaborative models in certification. The case studies showcase the need being filled, the collaborative process, the lessons learned, and recommendations on next steps. The first three case studies can be accessed here, and more will be added as they are developed.

March 2021

Variable Impacts of New Credentials for the Older Worker

Through the analysis, which is the first to use the Participant Individual Record Layout data files from the U.S. Department of Labor, this report examines the impact of new credentials on reemployment for older (50+ years) workers. Industry-recognized certificates and certifications were found to have the most value to older workers seeking employment after displacement with respect to reemployment and earnings.

Understanding Certifications

This report is intended as a primer to help policymakers and practitioners navigate the complex and little understood “wild west” of certifications. Awarded by industry groups, professional associations, and companies, certifications have the potential to be useful tools in addressing re-employment, re-deployment, and re-education challenges that workers face in the current labor market.

Embedding Certifications into Bachelor’s Degrees: Certification-Degree Pathways Project Framework

Workcred and its partners identified opportunities, challenges, and practical examples associated with integrating high-quality, industry certifications into bachelor’s degree programs in order to create more opportunities for students to earn credentials with labor-market value.

If after viewing the framework you have any feedback on the content of the report, examples of a certification-degree pathway, or ideas on how to shape future phases of this work, please let us know.

Understanding Quality: The Role of States in Supporting Quality Non-Degree Credentials

Through this brief published in partnership with the National Governors Association (NGA), Workcred sheds light on the value of non-degree credentials as tools to empower workers and strengthen state economies amid the significant disruption caused by COVID-19. The brief provides several recommendations for state policymakers to consider as they recognize and support quality credentials for people re-entering or upskilling in the workforce.

Certification and Its Relationship to Further Learning

Certifications can lead to further opportunities for education and learning. This issue brief describes the relationships that can exist among certifications, degrees, credit for prior learning, and advanced education.

Examining the Quality, Market Value, and Effectiveness of Manufacturing Credentials in the United States

U.S. manufacturing faces a skills mismatch: studies forecast an increase in output and productivity, but also predict a shortage of individuals with the right skills to fill the jobs. To help solve this mismatch and keep up with changing skill needs, a clearer understanding of how credentials are used and valued by the manufacturing industry is essential.

Call for a National Conversation on Creating a Competency-based Credentialing Ecosystem

The perpetually volatile economy is increasing risks for employers and job seekers. Within this environment, both are looking to workforce and education credentials to reduce their risk. Employers, seeking the best possible talent, often rely on credentials as signals to screen prospective candidates for the knowledge, skills and abilities they require for business success and competiveness. Young people and adults seek credentials that provide them with valued evidence of their marketable skills to help them secure employment and advance in their careers.