Unlocking the Value of In-Company Learning: Certifiable and Transferable Verifiable Credentials in Vocational Education and In-Company Learning

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Credentials, Certificates and Assessment in Career and Technical Education & Workplace Learning

Abstract

Amidst growing labor market shortages, Dutch vocational education faces increasing pressure to enhance the efficiency of training programs. This demands timely and adaptive educational innovations that align with labor market needs. Verifiable credentials are a promising innovation. These credentials enable learners to acquire and demonstrate skills in a flexible, targeted, and modular way. This study explores which components of in-company training programs are most suitable for certification through verifiable credentials, and investigates the expected added value of such certification. Preliminary findings suggest that verifiable credentials hold significant potential for validating workplace achievements in a trustworthy and transferable manner. As such, they can serve as a certified bridge between formal education and professional practice, supporting both lifelong learning and societal participation.

Authors

• Tom Adams, KW1C

• Marcel Metsaars, Koning Willem I College