The educational industry has long been overdue for an update on the products and channels through which they are delivered. The digital revolution has created a void in the needs of students and institutions to receive and deliver certifications and credentials in this fast-paced and ever-changing world.

Digital credentials are now a high-value commodity in the professional world, as discussed by the Charles Koch Foundation. Online diplomas, certifications, and seminars are well in-demand for those looking to advance and even also to start their careers.

1. Giving the power of choice to learners

Individuals seeking higher education up until now have been limited to having to physically attend schools and universities to receive instruction. Even in the early days of online diplomas, questions have been raised on the legitimacy of such credentials and the means by which they were attained.

In today’s world, students now have the privilege of not only choosing where to get their education but are also spoiled for choice with the plethora of programs and certifications available on the market to learn and finely hone their skills to suit their interests.

While there are many free and open-source options for learners such as HubSpot and their social media certification programs, large institutions are now also providing online programs that can give students high-value credentials being that they come from well-known sources such as universities, professional groups, and even large companies that offer training certifications.

2. Opening the world for institutions to provide education off-campus

Not only does online credentialing benefit the learners, but it also provides value as well to institutions by opening their doors to a larger consumer base while taking only a fraction of the workload. Once a course on a particular subject is created along with the resources it takes to fully instruct an individual, this can be then scaled and distributed to a wider audience.

Online distribution channels have proven themselves effective in helping products and services reach wider audiences and customer bases, and the same is true in the education sector. The world’s leading academies and universities are now able to award certificates to individuals who no longer need to even be in the same country.

Institutions that sell online courses are now facing the immense potential of increasing their profits by incredible margins as discussed in this document by Hanover since most of the workload involved is in creating the resources and materials for instruction at the beginning. Once created, only periodical updates need to be made for additional information to account for the evolution of the subject matter itself, and the product does the rest.

3. Providing a platform for like-minded individuals to make connections

In today’s society, social networking is one of the major factors that dictate the success of an individual in the professional world. Not only does one need the right credentials and skillsets, but a young professional in today’s employment market knows the value of being connected to the right people as well.

More often than not, online certification programs also provide forums and public spaces where not only can instructors communicate with the instructed, but where students can communicate with each other, as well as with alumni of the programs they are enrolled in. This article by Inside Highered opens up more about discussion boards and how they are used in the education industry.

With the vastness in reach now enjoyed by online certification programs, this proves to be a valuable resource where not only can people be introduced to one another, but this increased diversity also breeds a culture of challenging each other to grow and be even better specialists in their fields.

4. Giving a new meaning to competency in the ever-saturated job market

There’s no question that today’s employee market is quite saturated. Graduates from large and well-known universities are not necessarily saved from the unemployment line any longer. However, with the increase in short degrees, online seminars, certification courses, and even just the support in access being given to the formers by institutions such as the Burbank Public Library, individuals now have the power to further hone and diversify their skillsets for better chances of being chosen by application screening processes.

This not only benefits the employees, but employers also enjoy being able to choose individuals to work with who now have more qualifications right off the bat. Aside from just being qualified for the positions being applied for, a diversified ledger gives HR departments and applicant screening personnel a better idea of the kind of mind there is behind a resume, giving them a better platform from which to make an even more informed decision on their employee selection processes.

Aside from just finding employees to fill job posts, companies are now even better equipped to upscale their skill pool while reducing the cost of promotion at the same time! The days of sending teams to overseas seminars and training programs are all but over, and in fact, many organizations now encourage employees to take as many internally offered courses and programs to sharpen their skills since doing so does not necessarily mean time away from one’s desk anymore.

5.Providing employers with effective tools to screen applicants

Credentials and certifications are no doubt powerful tools in the arsenal of employees and employers. But what about the HR departments, recruitment officers, and headhunters? As is now commonplace in any industry, part of the initial stages of being acquainted with a company and the business it conducts is taking an exam or assessment to evaluate how well one performs in the specific areas being screened for, such as communication, IQ, leadership skills, and even personality assessments, which are a great resource for HR departments to see beforehand how well an individual might fit in the specific team of employees that they would potentially be a part of.

Bridging the Gap: Education to Profession

As earlier mentioned, the professional world is growing even more fast-paced, and the variables at play for the success of an individual are ever-changing. It is imperative that both companies or organizations and aspiring professionals in today’s world acquaint themselves with the many ways that are now available to further develop and sharpen their skills and to make better, more informed decisions on how to enrich their organization’s culture for continuous business improvement.

Q-Servi supports this need for organizations and professionals alike to evolve with the times, and develops services to legitimize and certify the integrity of the credential that an institution provides, as well as the credential an individual holds to ease the process of screening and to build confidence in the individual, respectfully.

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