STILLWATER, Okla. (OBV) – Oklahoma CareerTech has an innovative new way to help CareerTech students share their credentials with prospective employers.
Students will receive a digital badge version of their credentials thanks to a partnership between CareerTech and Credly, a digital credentials creation and management company.
“We are committed to providing you with the tools necessary to achieve your professional goals and we understand that communicating your credentials in an ever-expanding online marketplace can be challenging,” the CareerTech website states.
The process is called badging, and it’s a simple method by which CareerTech students can share their accomplishments with potential employers, according to an Oklahoma CareerTech news release.
“It provides a more valid and secure way to prove that a student has been issued a certification,” Jennifer Palacio, CareerTech Testing Center assessment manager, said to Oklahoma Business Voice. “It also shows employers what the student had to do to earn that certification.”
Instructors enter the credentials students earn through approved Oklahoma CareerTech programs into CareerTech’s Information Management System. Each month, CareerTech gathers all the entered credentials and issues digital badges through Credly, according to the news release.
Each student can create an account to file their badges.
Badges can be downloaded, attached in email signatures, included in documents such as resumes, sent directly to employers and shared on social media. The badges are clickable, presenting the student’s credentials when clicked.
Any students enrolled in a career tech program, whether it’s a high a high school student or an adult enrollee, can earn badges, according to Palacio.
CareerTech started pursuing the badging initiative three years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay in implementation, Palacio said.
Companies also use badging to note an employee’s certified skill
“Microsoft was one of the main forefront companies to use it. It’s grown pretty significantly over the years,” Palacio said.
The CareerTech website currently has 468 career field badges listed, ranging from Construction and Accounts Payable to Engine Repair Technician and Entrepreneur. Palacio said the number of certification badges can grow over time.
Students also have access to Credly labor market insights as well as job openings across the U.S. for candidates with their credentials. They can also get information on salary ranges and which jobs require their credentials.
Go to CareerTech’s website for more information.
