Are Career Certificate Programs the New College Degree in the Eyes of Employers?

No matter how old we get, we are always learning and growing. Whether you are celebrating your 30th anniversary with your current employer or just getting started in your career, on-going training and professional learning will always be a necessity.

Although technological advancements and targeted occupational training are not new concepts, the pandemic greatly accelerated the rise in digitization, remote learning and alternative career education. Employers have more training tools and are investing more into human capital to connect prospects with their job offerings and their employees grow within the company.

In this episode of MarketScale TV, Stephanie Otey is joined by Kevin Chavous, President at Stride Inc. to discuss the impact the alternative career learning trend has on higher education and the hiring practices in the job market, especially as companies like Credly report an 83% increase in employer’s building their own credential programs.

Increased demand for technically skilled workers occurred during a time of unprecedented unemployment rates yet employers struggled to find qualified candidates. Companies like Google, IBM, and HubSpot then began developing their own curriculum and certification programs to offer job seekers specific training for positions they are looking to hire. With more affordable options to finding high paying jobs, what does this mean for higher education?

“Employers are now working with educators to develop curriculum that they know that they need for the skilled development certifications that will get them employees quicker,” says Chavous. “Colleges are starting to understand that they can’t charge $50, $60-$70,000 a year for a bachelors degree when folks” don’t get jobs.

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