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The 4th Industrial Revolution, an era defined by terms like machine learning and cloud computing is here. As it is also commonly referred to, Industry 4.0 comes with a lot of changes, especially in how people work and up-skill.
Continuous learning has become more important than ever to keep up with the economic demands. This has led to the manifestation of “micro-credential” programs since professionals are increasingly opting for alternative and ‘convenient’ training programs.
Here is Scott’s story to give you a better perspective of what micro-credentials are. In 2011, Scott Young took on a challenge to complete a 4-year MIT Computer Science degree in 12 months without enrolling in the university. He was only going to use free materials posted online by MIT, sounds crazy? Wait till you read this. To replicate campus experience, Scott designed a curriculum, completed the required assignments and exams that MIT students did and graded himself using the marking scheme that MIT made available.
At the end of his challenge, Scott who already had a business degree had ‘completed’ an equivalent of what an MIT Computer Science degree without setting a foot in class and paying tuition fee. His only expenses were the textbooks he bought.
Scott is a perfect example of individuals who desire to broaden their skillset but don’t want to commit to a four-year degree in traditional universities hence use micro-credentials acquire new skills by taking online courses or attending boot camps.
Could this be the way to go, considering the ever rising tuition fees and how employers are increasingly looking beyond college graduates? Which micro-credential would you take to complement your core qualification?
