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Having extra knowledge and skills under your belt can make your resume stand out. Learn them with short, affordable micro-credential programs.
If you make a habit of checking LinkedIn, you’ve surely seen it: the announcement from a former colleague that they’re proud to have earned credential X from institution Y. Maybe you give them a thumbs-up or clapping hands; maybe you scroll on by. But have you ever thought about the value of these credentials and whether they’re giving people an earnings boost or a leg up in their quest for a promotion or new employment?
These digital-first bragging rights are known as micro-credentials, and they’re booming right now. Micro-credentialing has been accelerated by the pandemic-driven demand for online learning, job-seekers’ efforts to upskill or reskill, and educational institutions’ desire to attract more students.
If you’re looking to increase your skill set or stand out from a sea of job candidates, micro-credentials could be a worthwhile investment—plus, you may qualify for financial assistance or tax credits. The trick is to choose a micro-credential program that’s right for you and your goals.
A micro-credential is similar to a certificate or a degree, but more targeted and with less of a time commitment. Essentially, it’s a skills or learning upgrade that is focused on helping workers meet the needs of employers—or, conversely, of helping employers find or train workers with the skills they need. And it’s a recorded achievement: you earn a badge or certificate, or something else to prove you earned each particular credential.
Micro-credential programs are often offered by universities and colleges, but you’ll also find programs from major employers like IBM and Salesforce, specialty providers such as FutureLearn and Coursera, and non-profits. Many other individuals and organizations offer learning and training programs, too: you might see courses available from your favourite finance blogger, or from organizations like Raw Signal Group and The Trauma of Money. Since trustworthiness is a key factor in micro-credentials, institutions that already have that trust baked in are well placed to flourish in this relatively new industry. Whether you choose to go with an accredited educational institution or a startup depends on what you want to learn and why.
What are people most interested in when it comes to micro-credentials? According to Google data from early August 2024, top searches include:
And the top-searched topics on eCampusOntario’s Micro-credentials Portal over the past 12 months are:
According to the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), the two defining features of micro-credentials are a narrow scope and a short completion time. That makes efficiency the primary appeal of micro-credential programs. Degrees take years to complete and often contain requirements that are superfluous for those in mid-career. And, of course, many Canadians simply don’t have the resources to take extended time off to upgrade their skills or go back to school full-time.
Micro-credential programs are appealing in other ways, too. Many are offered online or in a hybrid format, meaning students can complete them on their own schedule. Micro-credentials also tend to be timely and relevant, so that people can acquire competencies they can use immediately. Canada-based programs can be a useful bridge for newcomers trying to localize their international skill sets and experience. Plus, they’re more affordable than traditional in-depth education and skills programs. In essence, they’re mini-programs that offer you what you need, when you need it—and no more.
According to a survey conducted by the HEQCO in 2020 and 2021, 78% of working-age Canadians believe continuing education and upgrading skills will help them future-proof their careers. And it’s not surprising: industries and technologies change fast nowadays. (Just imagine explaining a “social media manager” or “AI prompt engineer” job to someone 20 years ago.)
Micro-credentials are very important in areas where employers can’t find enough workers with the right set of skills. Offering short, targeted training courses can be a way to quickly onboard people into a newer field where they can continue to develop their competencies on the job—or by gaining more micro-credentials over time.
Whether you’re looking to further your current career or switch to a new one entirely, expanding your competencies can make a difference. For one thing, extra credentials can help make your resume stand out, or help you stand out in an interview. They’re also valuable for upskilling and filling knowledge gaps—say, if you didn’t study STEM in school but you want to have in-demand knowledge like an understanding of artificial intelligence. Plus, earning micro-credentials demonstrates to employers that you like to keep up with professional development.
There’s a downside to this new trend, though—it’s still pretty new. Many employers simply haven’t caught up to the value of micro-credentials, and either don’t consider them as part of their hiring criteria or don’t know what they are at all. In fact, only half of employers surveyed by the Future Skills Centre (FSC) in a 2023 survey look at micro-credentials when assessing job candidates.
That said, many organizations in that same FSC survey stated that they value micro-credentials and other forms of upskilling. For example, one employer in the building sector said that when people gain new credentials, “it shows that they’re interested and dedicated to bettering themselves.”
And in the HEQCO survey, 60% of employers said micro-credentials would boost their confidence in a prospective employee’s skills. The lesson seems to be that micro-credentials and learning, in general, are important to some employers—and if they’re targeted to specific jobs and industries with a shortage of skilled workers, even better.
While Canadians have a positive view of micro-credentials, they don’t necessarily want to pay to earn them. Only about one-quarter of respondents to the HEQCO survey said they would spend more than $250 of their own money on a micro-credential—though a number said they had access to these opportunities through their employer.
Potential costs vary depending on the program and who’s offering it. Some examples from Canadian educational institutions include:
Other organizations might have different fee models. The seven-course Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate offered by Coursera, for example, has a seven-day free trial and then costs USD$49 per month. Coursera says that if you study for 10 hours per week, the program can be completed within six months, which means a total cost of about USD$300. But, if you linger, that price goes up.
Depending on where you live, you might be able to get financial support for micro-credential programs. In Ontario, for instance, programs from Ontario post-secondary schools are eligible for student loans and grants under the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). You may also be able to claim the Canada training credit, a non-refundable tax credit, for tuition and other fees.
If you want to upskill—or simply to learn more—micro-credentials can be a valuable tool. They’re discrete packages of learning, created by experts and designed so that learners can fit them into their busy lives. But if you’re pursuing micro-credentials specifically for job opportunities, it’s worth doing some industry research to ensure you’ll get an ROI on your money—not to mention your time and effort.
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