Why Choose Micro-Credentials And Short Training For Your Team?
Today’s fast-paced corporate world requires employees to stay alert. Continuous learning is common practice among companies that focus on their employees’ development. They invest in their team members’ education and training to encourage them to enhance their skills. One way to do this is with short training that provides employees with micro-credentials, such as digital badges and certifications that verify someone’s knowledge of a specific area. Micro-credentials have become popular, as they’re a practical and certified way of training and acquiring proof of it without wasting time and resources. In this article, you’ll see how to add micro-credentials to your training plan and why they’re beneficial.
6 Ways To Add Micro-Credentials To Your Corporate Training
1. Identify Skills And Knowledge Gaps
First, you must conduct surveys among your employees, asking them what they would like to train on. For example, they may have heard of a new marketing strategy or a sales trend. You can also perform performance evaluations and offer them short training on a skill they need to cultivate. You should also do your own research by exploring the requirements for roles in your industry or checking out new trends. After identifying the skills your employees need training on, you can decide which micro-credentials would be the best fit.
2. Find A Partner
With so many micro-credential providers out there, there is no shortage of choice. However, you have to consider some things before selecting one. For example, you need to see reviews and research the platform’s reputation. Also, check out their prices and choose the one that offers a variety of training topics recognized in your field at a lower cost. Remember that some big tech companies, like Google, offer free short training courses that come with certifications.
3. Define Your Micro-Credential Program
Once you’ve found a provider, you need to start planning your program by deciding which micro-credentials you’ll offer. Then, you need to specify how your employees will earn them. For example, do they need to complete several courses or just pass a knowledge test? Also, once earned, how are they going to be certified? Is it going to be a badge that can be displayed on their LinkedIn profile, or are they getting printable certifications? You can further reward their achievement by offering your employees bonuses.
4. Communicate The Program
It’s essential to be open with your employees. Send a corporate-wide email or a newsletter to inform your workforce about the short training program you have chosen and communicate the micro-credentials plan with them. You can even arrange a meeting to discuss this further. You may also want to create a catalog in which you can display the available micro-credentials and their criteria, allowing your employees to choose for themselves.
5. Provide Support And Resources
To ensure the success of the micro-credential program, give your employees access to resources like training materials and mentorship programs. Through those, they will be able to receive advice from colleagues that already have the same badges they want to acquire. Additional support from their managers is also mandatory. Most importantly, though, offer your employees dedicated time to complete the training and earn the credentials. This will show them that you value their time and prioritize investing in their professional development.
6. Track Progress
Lastly, you need to evaluate the results of your micro-credentials program through regular check-ins with employees. Reach out as often as you can to ensure that they’re heading in the right direction and that the program is effective. Also, analyze their performance data, and if you notice something wrong with the training’s execution, make the necessary adjustments. This step is crucial, as it will also help you ensure the program is aligned with employees’ goals and organizational values.
What Are The Benefits Of Micro-Credentials?
Quick And Efficient
Micro-credentials are quick to earn since they don’t take up much of a trainee’s time, unlike traditional certifications. This allows employees to constantly enroll in short training courses and gain as many skills as they like in a short amount of time. Also, they can use their newfound knowledge in their work instantly. This is useful for people with jobs related to rapidly changing fields, like technology or marketing.
Cost-Effective
Typical certifications can be costly, while micro-credentials often have minimal or no costs. This is beneficial for your organization, as it allows you to invest in training more people and tackle various topics. Don’t forget that micro-credentials are usually available online, so they don’t have additional operational costs. Speaking of profit, they can also give a competitive advantage and be a selling point for prospective employees, which brings more income to your organization.
Improved Employee Engagement
Micro-credentials are an effective way for employees to see how well they perform and keep track of their accomplishments. This motivates them to keep on learning and training in new skills. In addition, the more knowledge they gain, the more confident they are in their work, thus continuously improving their performance. Finally, they feel more satisfied, making them more likely to stay in their role longer.
Collaboration
Employees who follow the same or similar micro-credentials program have more chances to collaborate with each other. They often end up having discussions where they share their tips, knowledge, and skills with their colleagues. Through these, they can acquire new ideas, be more innovative, gain extra motivation to work harder, differentiate themselves from their peers, and be more productive.
Relevant And Specialized
Micro-credential design aims to specialize in particular industry topics, making them relevant for different positions and fields. This allows employees to acquire the exact skills they need for their job, driving them toward success. Through those short training sessions, employers can also identify skill gaps and give more training opportunities to their workforce to bridge them.
Conclusion
Incorporating micro-credentials in your corporate training program can bring several advantages to the employees and the organization. They’re also an affordable way to invest in your people’s future and make them more connected to their job. By following the above strategies, you can change how your workforce gains skills and lead the way for them to succeed in their careers.
