Why Universities Are Partnering With Employers on Credential Programs

Since the start of the pandemic, employers started partnering with universities to provide credentialing programs on a large scale. Credly found that companies building their curriculums and providing credentials are up 83 percent. IBM, Google, and HubSpot are just a few of the giants that have jumped on the trend.

Why are universities just starting to do this, and what will it look like down the road?

Voice of B2B, Daniel Litwin, talked with Brandon Busteed, Chief Partnership Officer of Kaplan on Marketscale TV about these programs and the future of decentralized educational programs.

The duo talked about why large institutions are teaming with universities. One of those reasons is that employers are worried graduating students won’t be trained for the job force. The goal is to help bridge this gap.

“There aren’t enough people trained for the utilization of the kinds of software, solutions or other things they need them trained for,” Busteed said. He used the example of these companies with cloud computing and not enough graduates trained to use this software. The partnership between universities and employers is essential when it comes to this training, according to Busteed. Companies realize they don’t have the tools to provide extensive education and training programs.

In addition to the pandemic, the U.S. also faced a year of civil strife. With these things on a company’s radar, they are looking to improve their diversity pool, both now and in the future.

“They’re all desperately trying to improve their diversity talent pipeline, as well,” Busteed said.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

customer movement
Bonfire Branding: How Solo Stove Sparked a Customer Movement with Liz Vanzura (Episode Three)
January 22, 2026

As audiences tune out polished ads and lean into trust, brands are being forced to rethink how they show up for the customer. Research consistently shows that consumers rate peer-created content as more credible than traditional brand messaging, and algorithmic discovery is increasingly rewarding authenticity over polish. With AI reshaping how people search and…

Read More
supply chains
Why the Best Careers Are Designed Like Resilient Supply Chains
January 22, 2026

What do supply chains and community have in common? They both deliver value—when managed with purpose. At their best, they show how intentional systems, meaningful connections, and consistent action turn effort into lasting professional growth. This week on Professional Quotient, listeners hear from Nathan Chaney, founder of Supply Chaney, whose insights bridge the mechanics…

Read More
brand
Bonfire Branding: How Solo Stove Sparked a Customer Movement with Liz Vanzura (Episode Two)
January 22, 2026

As people seek relief from constant digital noise, the backyard has quietly become a modern “third space” in everyday life. Outdoor living, fire pits, and at-home hosting continue to grow as consumers prioritize connection, ease, and experiences that feel meaningful without requiring more complexity. Brands that understand this shift aren’t just selling products—they’re offering…

Read More
Image
The Retrofit Advantage: B2B Renovation Strategies Powering Retail, Healthcare, Sports, IoT, Energy, ProAV, Engineering, and Construction
January 20, 2026

Innovation is no always a new build. In B2B, the fastest return often comes from upgrading existing facilities without pausing operations for months. Renovation and retrofit projects have become a core business lever because they influence measurable outcomes: energy consumption, staff productivity, customer throughput, uptime, safety, compliance, and lifecycle maintenance costs. Below is a B2B…

Read More