of Wisconsin Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA) announced that it has secured $1.5 million in federal funding to accelerate the development and implementation of a new microcredentials program.
With the funding, HERA, a group of 17 higher education institutions and partners in southeastern Wisconsin, will serve more than 400 users during a one-year pilot phase in 2025, according to a press release issued Monday. At least 20 new preferred microcredentials will be able to be developed.
HERA and its member institutions will focus on specific skills in high-demand, high-impact areas that are experiencing talent shortages in the region, the statement said. HERA identified priority areas such as information technology, including artificial intelligence and data analytics, based on labor market data and feedback from employers. health care; work; and education.
This funding is provided through Congressional directed spending appropriations.
“HERA was founded on the belief that higher education institutions in our region can achieve more together than they could achieve alone. Today, our belief in the power of collaboration reaches an important milestone. It is a federal-level investment that will significantly increase our ability to develop new micro-credentials that support career advancement and economic growth in southeastern Wisconsin,” said Chair Dr. Vicki Martin. He is a HERA Ph.D. and president of Milwaukee Regional Technical College. “By focusing on high-demand, high-impact career fields and developing flexible and affordable education options, we will help more people in our region advance their careers.”
Microcredential courses, often delivered online on flexible schedules, focus an academic institution's educational expertise on quickly stackable, skills-based, non-degree qualifications, typically completed in two to four months. Masu.
HERA says this bite-sized course is especially suitable for current employees looking to learn new skills and advance their careers, but are unable to return to school full-time. It will also prove beneficial for employers who need to continually train their workers to meet the ever-changing challenges of today's workplaces in order to remain competitive.
Since 2021, the number of such non-degree qualifications awarded by HERA institutions has increased by more than 36%. Last year, HERA launched a microcredentials portal that brings together all services from HERA members.
The cost of developing new courses is one of the main factors limiting further expansion of microcredential offerings by HERA institutions. The additional funding will accelerate the development of new microcredentials at HERA institutions. This will also enable HERA to work with employers to further identify additional skills needs and enhance its role as a “one-stop shop” to maintain a single portal for users. said the Alliance.
Users will be charged a small course fee, and employers and industry will be provided with the opportunity to fund additional microcredentials with more customized content.
“To remain competitive in a race with no finish line, businesses in southeastern Wisconsin need to ensure their employees have the skills they need to meet tomorrow's challenges.” . Joel Brennanpresident of Greater Milwaukee Commission He is also a member of the HERA Steering Committee. “Microcredentials are one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to achieve this, and HERA and its member institutions are best positioned to lead the way.”
