Hello and welcome to Certified Insights from your digital credential friends at Accredible. You’re in good company with 58K+ education and training leaders.
Each month, we share tips and strategies for growing your credentialing program. Up next:
💡 6 ways to increase credential utility — from awareness to directories
💬 We want to hear from you: how are you supporting evolving learner goals?
🔗 Credentialing case studies, student perspectives on degrees and microcredentials, and the 15 fastest-growing skills in the U.S.
What’s the point of a credential if no one knows what to do with it? If learners can’t explain or use their credentials, your program loses value — and so does their achievement.
Issuing a digital badge or certificate is no longer enough. Today’s learners expect their achievements to be recognized, validated, and lead to something tangible — ideally a job, promotion, or meaningful next step. Yet, too many credentials sit in inboxes, unshared and underutilized.
Credential utility or currency — what learners can do with what they earn — is essential to the value of your program. Credentials must be understandable, transferable, and action-oriented.
The good news? Programs that prioritize credential utility are seeing stronger engagement, greater learner satisfaction, and more measurable outcomes.
Here are six ways to ensure your credentials lead to real career opportunities — and boost the value of your entire program:
1. Start with Awareness
At the recent 1EdTech Digital Credentials Summit, Laura Reategui, a student who has earned a bachelor’s degree and multiple digital badges, shared, “I got the credential without realizing I was earning it... Once I learned about it, I claimed it, opened it and thought, ‘Wow, this is important, and I want to get more.’”
This highlights the need for proactive communication upfront. When learners understand what they’re working toward — and how it will benefit them — they’re more likely to stay engaged and complete the program. In fact, 60% of learners are more likely to complete a course when a digital credential is offered (2024 State of Credentialing).
Clearly communicate the credential's value before learners begin: what it represents, who recognizes it, and how it connects to real opportunities. In her recent article, Wendy Palmer highlights five common barriers to credential adoption and how to solve them.
2. Include Metadata that Speaks to Employers
Metadata transforms a badge from a graphic into a trusted, verifiable asset. Include key details:
Amanda Brantner, Senior Director of Content and Educational Portfolio Strategy at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois, shared in our recent webinar, “A key part of our approach is ensuring each credential has enough metadata to stand on its own. When someone opens a credential, they can see exactly what the learner completed, what skills they demonstrated, and how it connects to broader outcomes — making it meaningful to both learners and employers.”
3. Help Learners Articulate Their Achievements
Learners often struggle to explain their credentials in real-world terms. Equip them with “credential-in-action” language for resumes, interviews, and professional bios.
Examples:
Gies even includes sample LinkedIn posts in credential delivery emails: "Proud to have earned my Strategic Leadership & Management credential from @GiesBusiness! This program has equipped me with valuable frameworks for driving team performance and organizational strategy. Excited to apply these insights in my leadership journey. #WeAreGies"
When learners can confidently describe their skills, they boost both their careers and your program’s impact.
4. Help Learners Share Achievements Everywhere
Learners want to share accomplishments on the platforms they already use. But friction reduces follow-through — forcing account creation to claim credentials can drop sharing rates by up to 75%.
Make credential sharing seamless:
One-click access and pre-written messages dramatically boost sharing and visibility — for both the learner and your program.
📢 Explore 5 strategies to boost credential sharing.
5. Ensure Learners' Prior Learning is Recognized
Learners pursue certifications, badges, and microcredentials because they expect them to be recognized for further education, job opportunities, or professional licensing. But, traditional transcripts rarely capture the full picture, and the burden often falls on learners to explain or prove what they’ve done.
Digital credential transcripts help close that gap. Instead of forcing learners to compile separate records or rely on degree-only transcripts, a digital credential transcript consolidates everything — certifications, badges, microcredentials — into one structured, shareable, and verifiable record. Admissions officers, registrars, and employers can immediately understand and act on what’s presented.
Offering your learners digital credential transcripts ensures their prior learning is recognized and applied in real-world settings — and makes your credentials more valuable in the process.
📚 Read more about Accredible Transcripts and how digital credential transcripts are a better way to recognize prior learning.
6. Increase Visibility Through Directories
Learners can share credentials individually, but discoverability and connecting them with future opportunities at scale requires structure. That’s where online directories come in.
Maintain a searchable, branded directory where employers and partners can find and verify your credentialed learners. This supports job placement, alum engagement, and workforce development.
84% of learners want to be promoted in a directory, yet only 35% of credential issuers offer one (2024 State of Credentialing). Featuring learners through a directory boosts visibility and demonstrates your commitment to learner success.
📖 Read more about how organizations use directories to connect learners with opportunity.
Final Thought: Make Credentials Work for Everyone
Credentialing doesn’t stop at issuance. Learners want credentials they can use — and programs that support their goals.
By making credentials more transparent, explainable, shareable, and visible, you increase their utility — and your program’s overall impact.
Let’s not just issue credentials. Start with one of these strategies — and let us know what’s working for you.
Until next time,
Ryan
Senior Director @ Accredible
Amanda’s insight reminds us that learners’ needs evolve, and so should our credentialing strategies.
What’s one way your program is designing credentials to support learners’ long-term goals and lead to real career opportunities?
Hit reply and share your thoughts — we’d love to feature your insights in an upcoming issue.
📖 Check out the full Gies story
Six Steps for a Successful Credentialing Program: A Case Study Review - 1EdTech
Learn how eight leading education and workforce organizations designed and implemented successful microcredential programs — plus key lessons and real-world impact on credential earners.
Personal Perspectives on Combining Traditional Degrees With Digital Credentials - Inside Higher Ed
At the recent 1EdTech Digital Credentials Summit, a panel of students who earned or are earning traditional degrees and microcredentials shared their experiences and three positive impacts of their education decisions.
LinkedIn Skills on the Rise 2025: The 15 fastest-growing skills in the US
LinkedIn’s new report reveals the 15 fastest-growing skills in the U.S. — from AI to people management — and what their rise means for learners, educators, and employers navigating the future of work.
The AI Show @ ASU+GSV — April 5-7, 2025
This year’s event will gather 10,000 educators, EdTech innovators, and leaders across sectors committed to exploring how artificial intelligence will shape the future of education.
Spotlight Directory: Bridging the Gap Between Learning & Employment — Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Join us to explore how leading organizations leverage public and private directories to drive career mobility, workforce development, and verifiable talent recognition.
Tired of juggling paper certificates, PDFs, and endless manual processes to track learner achievements?
Or running into scaling limitations with your current digital credentialing solution?
Accredible has you covered. Create and issue branded digital credentials that showcase skills and provide real value — without the hassle.
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Accredible is the world’s leading digital credential platform, enabling education and training leaders to increase learner engagement and drive program growth.
Accredible is the world’s leading digital credential platform, enabling education and training leaders to increase learner engagement and drive program growth.
