With the release of the micro-credential white paper “Micro-Credentials: Preparing a Skilled Workforce in Real Time,” which you can download here, we are bringing you a series of excerpts from the paper that we think are important to highlight.

In a recent Internet search, I came across Professional Certifications: Can we Avoid Them? by Uganda-based consultant, Michael Niyitegeka. In this article, he suggests that in the wake of education commoditization, education qualifications have become “tradable goods,” forcing employers to find alternative avenues to gauge one’s competency above and beyond academic qualifications.  While we might share a different view about education, the point that certification plays a role in qualifying people for employment or takes over where education leaves off is worth examining and assigning a value to.  

Many evolving forms of credentialing are clamoring for our attention these days—digital badges, alternative credentials, verified certificates, nano-degrees and micro-credentials.  But what are these forms of “credentialing” and how can they can complement and even enhance certification programs, you know, the traditional ones that assess competency and verify the skills and knowledge required to do a job or define the body of knowledge for a profession/occupation.  And how does a certification body assess if “alt creds” are right for them?  These are two aspects of a complex topic we as certification and test developers are talking about.   

Governing a certification board takes a special set of skills members of your certification board may not be familiar with, or even experienced in leadership positions they’ve held.  Often members of the certification board come from the profession and may have held leadership positions within related associations and societies—this is great exposure.  But while they may understand the dynamics of their profession, even those with experience serving on boards will benefit from having their responsibilities described in the particular context of certification.  Consider orienting your certification leadership to these key tenets in governing certification programs before their service begins (frequent reminders are also a good idea!)

Certification is a buzzword in the assn world and few would argue that offering a certification isn’t a great idea. Over the past few decades, there has been a proliferation of certifications (in the thousands) develop across industries and professions with nonprofits leading the way. But many nonprofits do not create a business and marketing plan that realistically outlines the long-term investment needed to develop and sustain a profitable program.

It’s confusing enough that we live in a credentialing society where the use of acronyms proliferate.  Adding to the confusion is the misuse of key credentialing terminology, in particular, when “certification” is used interchangeably with, and as the outcome of, “certificate” and training programs.  If you are thinking about developing a credentialing program, understanding the differences between “certification” and “certificate” programs will help you determine the best type of program for your profession.

If built and executed correctly, a credible certification can help brand an organization as the standard of “excellence” for a profession or an industry. For example, the “seal of approval” synonymous with credible certifications can help pave the way for associations to proactively position themselves if regulation is proposed—through certification, a model for setting, measuring and enforcing standards already exists.  The stringent ethical requirements required of credible certification programs help support a “culture of excellence,” as the codes of ethics certificants must uphold are frequently more robust than the requirements of membership or regulation.