This is how rapid credentialing programs work, as described by the Florida Department of Education.
Recently, funds were awarded to 28 Florida College System institutions and 48 technical colleges to increase capacity to enroll and complete students in short-term, high-value career and technical educations (or CTE) credentialing and certificate programs. In Southwest Florida, these schools are Florida Southwestern State College, Hodges University, and Florida Gulf Coast University. Unlike traditional higher education, CTE programs can set you on the right path in less time with less cost.
Funds are directed to connecting the unemployed, underemployed, or furloughed, with training in in-demand areas.
Programs covered include advanced manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, IT, business, entrepreneurship, supply chain and logistics, and financial technology.
Micro-credentials are just one facet of this expanding marketing for alternative education. This approach is personalized, informal, and transferable and delivers qualifications that meet industry-specific needs in teh quickest way possible.
Earning digital badges provide personal, portable, and easily verifiable accreditation. The badges are awarded via an assessment-based record of focused learning achievement. The record verifies what the learner knows, understands, and or can do. Delivered in bit-sized chunks, they have stand-alone value and can contribute to or complement other micro-credentials or macro-credentials, like a college degree. They are valued because they develop workplace capabilities that enhance employability and career progression.
