Fast learning offers bite-sized courses to build and update skills
From the Seasonedpros.ca Insights Lab
- Skill-building for a workplace hungry for skills
- Micro-credentials are fast-learning
- Professional development for employees and contract workers
- Retaining and recruiting talent
- Where can you find micro-credential courses?
- Micro-learning in a multi-channel learning strategy
In a workplace increasingly hungry for skills, micro-learning is rapidly becoming a must-have for employees, independent contractors and companies eager to keep up with the advance of technology and changes in the workplace.
With a widening gap in the skills necessary for economic growth, business leaders are expressing a sense of urgency around closing the skills gaps.
According to a survey by the global management group McKinsey & Company, a majority (69 percent) of companies are focusing more on skill-building than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the rise of remote and hybrid working, online learning and micro-courses have moved to centre stage in the skills transformation in the workplace.
Micro-credentials are fast-learning
Micro-credentials are short, targeted courses that focus on one skill at a time. Lectures can be tailored to the individual learner with one-on-one coaching or targeted to a specific sector such as healthcare or technology.
Depending on the topic, learners can complete a micro course in just an hour. Some offer hyper-learning experiences that use short-form videos with lectures ranging from two to 10 minutes.
Many micro-learning programs are designed to be stackable. A learner can complete one short course to qualify for the next one.
When students have completed the work and demonstrated competency, they are issued with a badge, certificate or nano-degree which can be displayed on a resume or a social media platform.
Professional development for employees and contract workers
With the rapid advance of digitization and tech in the workplace, micro-credentials offer professionals opportunities to learn new platforms and keep up with developments in their industry.
They are particularly attractive to mature professionals who have left full-time careers and are now handling marketing themselves as independent consultants.
Micro-learning is a flexible and cost-effective educational resource for people who want to pursue a new career path and develop new competencies in different industries.
Retaining and recruiting talent
For organizations grappling with talent shortages, micro-credential learning is an excellent tool for attracting and engaging job candidates and employees who want to keep their skills up to day.
These short courses are helpful to organizations that are reconfiguring to address the need for diversity and inclusion, climate change and cyber security.
Short courses also help organizations mitigate risk. They are a cost-effective alternative to traditional learning strategies that involve sending an employee on a training course for a week or two.
Where can you find micro-credential courses?
Many workplaces are designing their own micro-credential courses for employees and contractors to develop critical skills and competencies deemed necessary to remain competitive.
Universities are also partnering with organizations to develop these courses. The advantage of building micro-credentials into their degree programs.
There are also online learning platforms such as LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, YouTube, MOOC, Facebook live streams, and TikTok
Micro-learning in a multi-channel learning strategy
Micro-courses are not a replacement for traditional learning acquired through university degrees or professional certifications in accounting or engineering for example.
Fast learning is most effective when integrated into a comprehensive learning strategy that multiple learning channels that are both in-person and online.
But for topping up a skill, learning a new platform, understanding an issue facing your organization or pivoting to a new job or industry, they are a valuable learning tool.
Micro-courses also give organizations a competitive edge by equipping their talent with skills for the future.
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