So, I've been thinking about this for a while now, as the world is evolving faster with the rise in technology and social media, things are changing a lot, and so do the education system and the process of learning. Once upon a time, there was this thinking that if you want to have a good career, all you have to do is crack some entrance exam, score good and then get into any prestigious college. So that was the cycle, but now it’s not like that, you really don't have to go through that cycle anymore, as there are micro-credentials. So,
What are Micro-credentials?
Micro-credentials or nano-degrees or digital badges are bite-sized chunks of education that are narrower and focus than the university degree but if you choose the right one they can give you the skills and the certificate that can help you back the job you’re looking for or they could make the difference to put your own business on the road to success. They are certificates in digital format.
Why are Micro-credentials booming?
The reason why micro-credentials are booming is that it's cheap or even free as compared to traditional degrees. Pursuing a degree from a prestigious university is literally expensive, in countries like the US, the tuition fee has increased by 24%. Whereas, in a country like India, the tuition fee is pretty affordable as compared to the US and European countries. But the education in India is not up to the mark, as the syllabus is outdated and it’s not updated according to the current scenario. The Indian education system is not practical and completely theoretical. Whereas, getting or pursuing a micro-credential makes sense as its fee structure is less as compared to traditional degrees and is more practical as the syllabus in it is updated and they give projects which really generates an interest. Most of the micro-credentials have partnered with companies, which gives exposure. Pursuing a programming degree is approx $400 from audacity. Yes, Udacity offers coding courses half the price as compared to pursuing a degree in computer science. Platforms like Skill-share, domestic, Udemy are pretty reasonable where you can learn any skill.
The Growing skills gap
Graduating from a prestigious college and getting a degree doesn’t mean that you have the skills that are actually required. The reason why getting a traditional degree is useless from a prestigious college is because they don’t teach you the skills that are actually required (for eg. Financial modeling, data science, digital marketing, copywriting) and the skill that’s necessary and the skill that the industry is looking for. This is where micro-credentials are really important because as I have mentioned before,micro-credentials are updated, they teach you the skills that are needed and that’s what the industry is looking for. That’s the reason why many companies are looking for micro-credential candidates rather than traditional degree candidates. Nowadays companies don't look for candidates who have degrees, all they see is what skills they have. Yes, certain companies do hire micro-credential candidates but, it’s not all the time that they hire micro-credentials candidates, if you want to become a doctor or a lawyer you need a traditional degree and you have to go to college.
What all industries do micro-credentials cover?
Mostly the tech industry, as they have adapted to the micro-credential environment. Companies like Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft don’t look for degree holders for high-paying jobs and they provide courses on coding, data analytics, artificial intelligence, etc. The tech industry covers a large no. of micro-credential candidates. There are various educational programs conducted by various tech companies like IBM, Google, Microsoft here are the following programs conducted,
IBM Bootcamp.
Google Analytics Academy.
Microsoft Academic.
But it’s not the tech companies that are covered by micro-credentials, there are various subjects too that are covered by micro-credentials too like for eg. If you want to learn about stock markets there are certified courses on stock markets too like BSE provides various courses on the stock market. If you are interested in learning or exploring creativity then there are courses on designing, creative writing, copywriting, social media management, etc. If want to learn some hobby and make money out of it then there are courses on DJing or organic farming and there are certain micro-credential programs where you can learn some crazy stuff like clowning or dog training too. The Internet is a huge place to learn many things.
How can micro-credentials help?
Well, Micro-credentials can help a lot. We can learn new skills and open up our horizons to learn new things. Let’s say if you want to progress in your career and say you want to learn to code then you can learn to code and upgrade your skills. Or let’s say you have your business and you don’t have much idea about digital marketing, then you can learn digital marketing and can apply it in your business. Or let’s say you hate your job and want to follow your passion of let’s say music then you can learn without even going to some music school. It’s better than a traditional degree, as it’s expensive plus not updated. So it’s better to go for micro-credentials as it’s really very much effective and reasonable. They can help you in all stages of your career or even at the start of your career. There is this saying,
“Age is just a number. You can learn anything at any age.”
It’s not necessary that if you want to learn a skill, you have to go to some university, instead, you can opt for micro-credentials and learn the skill that you want to learn. Micro-credentials are already lowering the barrier of entry for people who aren’t on the job market yet or those who want to refrain from a career change, you’ll have to put the determination and get the work done. Micro-credentials save time as compared to traditional degrees.
How much time does it take to pursue a micro-credential?
A traditional degree takes around 3-4 years to complete, but whereas, a micro-credential takes around a week, or maybe even a year depending on the field you choose. Let’s say you have a niche in coding, so platforms like Udacity provides a wide range of courses on coding by industry experts and it might take around 6-8 months to complete. Whereas platforms like Udemy, which provides a wide range of courses might take up to a week or two to complete a course depending on the niche. Micro-credentials are flexible as compared to a traditional degree, where you have spent years pursuing it.
Will Micro-credentials replace traditional degrees?
Well, simple answer, maybe since micro-credentials have completely dominated the tech industry where there is no requirement of the degree. It has almost replaced traditional degrees in certain fields like tech, advertising, financial sector, media & entertainment where most of the companies don’t look for degrees. But if your goal is to become a doctor or a lawyer or an architect then you need a degree, go to university, attend the lectures. But if your goal is to become a programmer or a marketer or a blogger(this is what I am doing) then you don’t need a traditional degree. Pursuing a degree and micro-credential is a plus point.
Going to college is a plus point as you can build a network, meeting new people but not learning, as there are endless no. of sites to learn like Udacity for coding, Udemy, SkillShare, etc.
So, that’s it I hope you like my blog and what do you think
What is the future of micro-credentials? Do let me know in the comment section below. Join the club by signing up for the newsletter for weekly content ahead.
Oh you are still here, of course, you do, so here is a
BONUS,
In 2011, Scott Young took on a challenge that really perplexed many of his peers. He completed his computer science degree without enrolling for an elite Boston-based university by using free materials that MIT posted online. So, Young built curriculum using the recorded classes and did the necessary assignments and exams mirroring the constraints and conditions(to the extent possible) that MIT students were subject to. He graded everything himself, using the solutions and marking the schedule that MIT made available. In the end, he completed the equivalent of what an MIT degree would look like without even going to the university and no paying for tuition fees. This is so inspiring when I heard about him. You can watch his Ted talk video on Youtube.