Skill Badging: Using Micro-Credentials to Improve Holistic Student Development and Career Readiness

Employers are placing increasing value on employee attributes often referred to as soft skills. While some curricula develop inherently discipline specific skills, other curricula emphasize global skill sets. Yet, the development of such global skills is often not directly linked to these valued soft skills. This article demonstrates a program developed at Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) that encourages the holistic education of students while enhancing their resumes and becoming more desirable for potential employers through skill-based trainings. These trainings are intentionally aligned with NACE identified career readiness competencies. This program also utilized micro-credentialing badging to encourage engagement and track completion.