Harnessing the Benefits of Micro Credentials for Industry 4.0 and 5.0: Skills Training and Lifelong Learning

Industry 4.0 has centered on ‘Digitalisation’ of the economy and Industry 5.0 will synchronise highly trained humans with collaborative technologies. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in significant changes in the jobs market with job losses and skills gaps occurring in many sectors. There is now a need for upskilling and lifelong learning to be consolidated into the workforce. This paper outlines the part Micro-credentials play in joining together the three main stakeholders: the learner, the higher education institution and the employer. It offers a description of micro-credentials in today's marketplace and outlines the current research in universities, technological institutes and governments worldwide.