Description:

Large organizations play an essential role in the adoption of badges and credentials not only because of their increasing need for capability management programs: they also provide economic opportunities for the labor market and alumni of vocational schools, colleges universities and training providers.

The challenge is how to start with a badging and credentialing initiative, how to ensure internal buy-in of both management and employees as well as matching capabilities to jobs. The working group provides a safe environment to discuss, plan, implement and improve badging and credentialing initiatives together with your peers and further stakeholders.

Outcomes:

• Badge and Credentialing Success Center (including pitch decks to convince internal stakeholders, marketing material etc.)
• Maturity Framework to define current position and future goals
• External pitch decks to form recognition networks with accredited education providers (e.g. to align leadership training with MBA programs)
• Checklist for selecting platforms or developing own infrastructure

Open to participate also for non-members: Yes

Please register here to attend.

Regular meeting schedule:

Every second Tuesday of a month at 15:00 CET (14:00 UTC + 1)

Past meetings included topics such as:

• "Badges and Credentials Maturity - Framework for Larger Organisations [BCM-FLO]", you can download the initial framework here.
• "Badges and Credentials Success Center"
• "Asking the right questions"
• "The power of mutual recognition"
• "Connecting ecosystems with transversal skills aka 21st Century Skills"
• "Endorsement value as the centerpiece in the value chain"
• "Planning and evaluating the Return on Invest (ROI) of a badging initiative"
• "Implementing digital credentials based on regulatory compliance"
• "Connect employees to organisational purpose by appreciating values"
• "Enable internal mobility through reskilling and recognition of capabilities"
• "Celebrating 10 sessions of our working group and reflections"
• "User Journey"

Contact: 

Rolf Reinhardt

Description:

21st Century Skills is a term that has been used for many years to describe a different way of understanding the capabilities and competencies required in our rapidly changing world. Whilst the term itself is contested it does at least point to a need for a different skills set today and tomorrow compared to yesterday and to a more adaptable approach to considering skills acquisition and deployment.

As new patterns of work, new job roles and increased demands for reskilling affect the job market and the workforce, it is critically important that we consider mechanisms that can make these changes smoother, better considered and clearer to all involved. The working group therefore welcomes stakeholder input as it seeks to make sense of these complex developments through the lens of 21st Century Skills and to provide greater clarity on how badges, credentials and skills descriptors can assist our transition to future workforce needs.

Outcomes:

• TBD

Open to participate also for non-members: Yes

Please register here to attend.

Regular meeting schedule:

Every second Tuesday at 22:00 CET (09:00 PM UTC)

Past meetings:

• Next meeting: 20/05/2021, please register here to attend.

Contact: 

Tara Laughlin

Description:

Associations play a key role in formalizing non-formal knowledge and skills: from identifying experts (e.g. for their conferences and working groups) to creating curricula for their (online) academies, associations have also been increasingly active in generating additional sources of revenues. This working group shall explore the options for associations to recognize achievements across their network, to certify these and to create value in terms of employability. 

Whilst there are many associations (the UIA lists 41.000 active international associations), they often struggle with limited financial and personal resources. This working group shall support them by delivering a range of outcomes (see below) as well as providing peer consultancy and support.

Outcomes:

• Business Case for an association's Board of Directors and key decision makers
• Process how to select a suitable badging platform i.e. for volunteers (visibility, future skills, career pathways)
• Marketing plan with funnel (badge for members, badge for experts etc.)
• Scaling approach on verifying specific skills internationally
• Blending into official taxonomies (e.g. UN SDGs, accredited education providers)

Open to participate: Yes, also for non-members

Regular meeting schedule:

Every month on the first Thursday at 16:00 CET (15:00 UTC + 1), register here.

Past meetings included topics such as:

• Business plan for non-profit associations to implement badges
• Setting KPIs for a successful launch
• Selecting a suitable badge platform
• Awarding badges to volunteers
• Aligning badges with UN SDGs
• Conducting workshops to engage key stakeholders
• Testing the workflow of obtaining badges for volunteering on the example of Moodle

Contact: 

Anaël Labigne