February 09, 2023
State System to Create User-friendly Credential Registry to Strengthen the Workforce, Ease Labor Shortages
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg, PA – Furthering a commitment to prepare students of all ages for in-demand careers and
strengthen the state’s workforce, Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education
(PASSHE) is creating the commonwealth’s first credential registry. The project is
funded by the state Department of Labor & Industry and American Rescue Plan funds
appropriated to PASSHE.
The user-friendly online tool will help students and workers to navigate the maze
of education and professional credentials, enabling people to make informed decisions
about their opportunities.
The public will be able to use the credential registry to learn which credentials
exist, where to get them and in what order, and which skills employers want for jobs
in high demand. The registry also will explain which credentials are “stackable,"
or sequenced, possibly leading to a bachelor's degree and beyond.
“The State System is redesigning itself to meet the needs of today’s learners and
provide a pipeline of talented people that employers desperately want, and the credential
registry is one important part of that process,” said Dan Greenstein, PASSHE chancellor.
“Credentials add value to your resume by demonstrating to employers that you have
the education and latest skills to do the job. Students and job seekers will be able
to use the credential registry to understand the pathways to earn credentials that
open doors to new and higher-paying jobs.”
The State System is creating the online credential registry in partnership with the
non-profit Credential Engine.
“Pennsylvania’s design for this work is exemplary,” said Scott Cheney, CEO of Credential
Engine. “Focusing on quality, stackability and pathways will help students and workers
be better able to navigate their way through all types and levels of credentials to
the skills needed by employers. Having all that information in an open credential
registry is an important first step.”
A credential registry will be an important tool to address the labor shortage. Today,
60% of jobs in Pennsylvania require some higher education after high school, but only
51% of the workforce has it. Enabling more Pennsylvanians to understand the process
and earn credentials is another step toward closing the talent gap.
Credentials such as badges, certificates, licenses, apprenticeships and industry certifications
can be earned as part of a growing number of two-year or four-year State System academic
programs.
Learners can earn credentials at the pace that is best for them. Learners in short-term
programs can enter higher education, earn a credential—often while working—then continue
toward the next credential or exit higher education for the workforce. Learners can
return to a program to earn more advanced–stackable–credentials to build more skills
that advance their career or potentially earn a higher income.
As part of the effort to create a stronger workforce, the State System is expanding
credentialing within many academic courses so students can earn credentials on the
way to their degree. Working adults may receive the largest benefit from the online
registry—particularly those with some college and no credential, or those working
in entry-level positions who need to upskill or reskill to keep up with technology
and automation.
Employers will benefit from a Pennsylvania-specific registry that will enable them
to identify the credentials that are most relevant to their open positions, allowing
more precise hiring of the talent they need.
The State System’s credential registry will initially include in-demand programs such
as business, computer science, education, engineering, nursing, and social services.
The first phase of the credential registry is anticipated to be ready in 2024.
About Credential Engine
Credential Engine is a non-profit whose mission is to map the credential landscape
with clear and consistent information, fueling the creation of resources that empower
people to find the pathways that are best for them. Credential Engine’s Credential
Transparency Description Language (CTDL) is the clear standard for richly describing
credentials, competency, quality, outcome, pathway, and other essential information
as linked, open, interoperable data on the semantic web. Learn more about Credential
Engine at www.credentialengine.org.
About PASSHE
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is the public university
system of the commonwealth with a mission to provide a high-quality education at the
lowest possible cost to students. With 90% of its students from Pennsylvania, PASSHE
educates approximately 85,000 degree-seeking students, with thousands more in certificate
and career programs. The universities collectively offer more than 2,300 degree and
certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Across the System, there are
more than 800,000 living alumni, most of whom live in Pennsylvania.