Defining a qualified worker looks very different today from just 20 years ago for many employment sectors in the United States, including clean energy. The primacy of a traditional four-year college degree for a number of job roles is changing,…
Up Front with Anna Sullivan 
The Value of Credentialing for Workforce Training Programs
Blazing a Trail for Microcredentials in the Clean Energy Industry
When Jobs for the Future, a national non-profit that builds educational and economic opportunities for underserved populations in the U.S., was exploring microcredentials, they tapped IREC for its innovative expertise and leadership in the microcredentialing and credentialing space. Laure-Jeanne Davignon, IREC director of workforce and I were pleased to co-author this piece with Veronica Buckwalter, JFF senior project manager, on how microcredentials offer viable pathways for stackable credentials and career advancement for today’s rapidly evolving workforce.
Promising New Pathway: Case Study in Micro-Credentials
IREC, partnering with Professional Testing, Inc. (PTI), the Building Performance Institute (BPI) and the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI), have released a prototype for a credible, valid, high-quality micro-credential development process. This pilot, still in progress, seeks to bring a new credentialing option to certified energy auditors who want to expand their home health assessment expertise.
