Advancing higher education with industry micro-credentials

The jobs students want today, and the skills required for them, are changing. By 2025, advances in digitalization, data, and artificial intelligence are projected to create up to 97 million new jobs while displacing 85 million existing ones. As the global talent shortage widens, higher education institutions must lean into equipping students with job skills that will power the new, digital economy - from data analysis and software engineering to [user experience] UX design and digital marketing. A new survey conducted by Coursera and featured in this report identifies the unique pain points of students searching for a job and employers that are hiring in this new market. The data makes clear that both students and employers view skills as the pathway between education and employability. 60 per cent of students around the world said that 'using their skills' matters the most to them in a job and 77 per cent of employers are already using or actively exploring skills-based hiring.

The survey data further reveals that industry micro-credentials, such as Professional Certificates offered by Coursera, provide a valuable link between students and employers. Professional Certificates teach students the specific skills needed for in-demand, entry-level jobs such as data analyst, software engineer, digital marketer, and more. By earning a Professional Certificate, students can demonstrate to employers that they are qualified and job-ready. Higher education institutions can use Professional Certificates in Coursera's Career Academy to enhance their curriculum and attract and retain students that are increasingly focused on employment outcomes. Skills-based learning is key to driving employability across the hiring ecosystem. Higher education leaders, employers, and government leaders must align their efforts to help students obtain the skills that make them job ready

This report first explores global student, employer, and university leader perspectives on industry micro-credentials and skills-based learning and hiring. The second half of the report delves into how these three parties vary on a country-level. The key insights featured are based on a survey of nearly 5,000 students and employers in 11 countries - Australia, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (U.S.) - in collaboration with two market research firms, Dynata and Repdata. Our sample sizes enabled us to obtain results with an industry-standard range of error at a 95 per cent confidence level.

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