Report Studies Skills-Based Hiring Trend

A new report focused on the increasing use of digital credentialing in education, workforce development and hiring was released Tuesday.

“Digital Credentials and Competency Frameworks Exploring Employer Readiness and Use in Talent Management” was released by the 1EdTech Foundation, a nonprofit that works to accelerate technology ecosystems to make educational systems more effective. The report was based on a survey examining the rising global trend in which educational institutions have addressed job market demands by developing and issuing shorter-form credentials.

The report’s authors argue the pandemic has accelerated the use of online educational platforms and the digitization of recruiting and hiring in the job market, but that the “crucial employer demand side of the equation is still underexplored.”

The report draws from a May survey of 750 human resources leaders and is a collaboration between 1EdTech Foundation and IMS Global Learning Consortium’s Wellspring Initiative, which seeks to unite institutions and corporations to speed up an education-to-work culture.

The most noteworthy findings include:

• In responding to questions that explored specific approaches to skills-based hiring, 36 percent of HR leaders said they are relaxing or eliminating college degree requirements.
• Nearly a third of respondents cited “frustration with the products of colleges and universities” as a reason why they’re exploring skills-based hiring.
• About half of the human resources leaders surveyed knew little to nothing about digital badges.