From learning to earning: Skills speak louder.
What are microcredentials?
Microcredentials are recognized credentials awarded to learners for mastery of skills or concepts defined by industry and educators.
How are microcredentials developed?
Mircocredentials are developed through a collaborative process that engages industry, educators, and other critical stakeholders to ensure they represent the skills learners need to succeed.
What is a digital badge?
A digital badge is a visual representation of a microcredential embedded with data to verify a learner’s skills and achievements. Criteria within each badge have been developed with industry input.
What are the benefits of digital badges?
Digital badges are:
Verifiable: Prospective employers or postsecondary institutions can identify who issued the badge, when and where it was earned, and what criteria were used to earn it.
Stackable: A set of organized microcredentials can be stacked to symbolize progressive levels of proficiency, complexity, and achievement.
Portable: Individuals can access their badges indefinitely and share them via social media or embed them in a resume for prospective or current employers or postsecondary institutions.
How are skills validated?
Program standards are developed for each badge through a collaborative process that engages industry, college/university faculty, secondary faculty, and other critical stakeholders. As students provide evidence of the competencies for each skill, educators evaluate the competencies based on common assessments. Once all skills are validated for a particular badge, the information is entered in the SkillStack® platform and badges are issued.
SkillStack® is a microcredential platform that allows Idaho’s educators to validate the skills their learners demonstrate proficiency in, leading to industry-relevant digital badges.
Learners
Learners demonstrate skills and earn digital badges. They can build a portfolio to share badges they’ve earned to pursue employment and continuing educational opportunities.
Educators
Educators assess, validate, and track mastery of defined skills and concepts using SkillStack®.
Employers
Employers can use SkillStack® Recruit to identify microcredentials specific to their hiring needs and contact potential candidates with the desired skills.
Advisory Council
![](https://cte.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ss-logo1-1024x476.png)
Discover how SkillStack® helps learners document their skills and employers find the talent they need.
Resources
Poster 8.5 x 11, 11 x 17, 24 x 36
Policies
III.E. – Certificates and Degrees
III.G. – Postsecondary Program Review and Approval
Badge locations
- All badges
- Boise State University
- College of Education Idaho
- College of Southern Idaho
- College of Western Idaho
- Idaho Department of Education
- Idaho Division of Career Technical Education
- Idaho State University
- Lewis Clark State University
- North Idaho College
- University of Idaho
Need More Information?
![Heather Lutche](https://cte.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/Headshots/Heather.jpg)
Heather Luchte
Chief Performance and Accountability Officer
208.429.5512
![Rick Stoddart](https://cte.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rick-Web.jpg)
Rick Stoddart
Microcredential Coordinator
208.429.5521
![McKenna Stallones](https://cte.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/McKenna1-Web.jpg)
McKenna Stallones
Technical Records Specialist II
208.429.5508