How Quality Credentials Impact Workforce Development
As technologies advance and industries evolve, the skills required for workplace success often outpace workforce training. Despite millions of job openings around the country, 74% of employers report a mismatch between the skills needed on the job and the skills workers currently have. Bridging this gap demands a more deliberate alignment between industry expectations and training programs—an essential step toward building a workforce that’s not just employed but prepared to thrive.
Quality credentials are a cornerstone of effective workforce development. They enhance initiatives by aligning educational programs with current and emerging industry needs, ensuring that learners are equipped with relevant, verified skills. These credentials provide a common language between educators, employers, and job seekers—creating clear, measurable pathways for career advancement. By signaling job readiness and technical competency, quality credentials also strengthen connections between learners and employers, fostering greater confidence in hiring decisions and accelerating entry into meaningful careers.
Quality Credentials Align Industry and Education
The modern workplace is characterized by constantly evolving technology and digital transformation, which requires workers to maintain a dynamic set of technical skills. A report from Gartner found that the number of skills needed for a single position is increasing by 10% every year, and over 30% of the skills needed three years ago will soon be irrelevant.
Quality credentials offer a solution to address the skills gap by facilitating more intentional points of connection between industry and education. As we discussed in our previous blog, a high-quality credential is defined by its alignment with established industry standards and real-world workforce demands. Credentials—such as those offered at the completion of career and technical education (CTE) programs—should be based on industry standards and developed through collaboration with educators, business leaders, and industry experts.
NOCTI frequently collaborates with standards organizations, industry associations, and educators to develop credentials that reflect real-world workforce demands. One example is our longstanding partnership with the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC), which has helped equip frontline production and material handling technicians with the skills needed for career success. MSSC’s latest credential–the Certified Technician-Supply Chain Automation program—is the result of a broad industry collaboration involving the National Center for Supply Chain Automation (NCSCA), Material Handling Industry (MHI), Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA), Amatrol, and NOCTI/NBS. Together, this partnership ensures that MSSC credentials are not only academically integrated but also aligned with the critical skills and knowledge employers need in today’s workforce.
Quality Credentials Build Rewarding Career Pathways
Quality credentials also provide opportunities to transition learners into the workforce and higher education. They create opportunities for learners to earn dual credit in high school, pursue internships or apprenticeships, and gain real-world experience that aligns with industry expectations. By establishing clear, skills-based pathways, quality credentials help learners stay on track with evolving workforce demands while supporting continued educational and career advancement.
These pathways also accelerate entry into the workforce and open doors to well-paying careers. ACTE reports that individuals who earn industry certifications are more likely to be employed one year later than workers without a certification. A study from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce found that individuals with associate degrees in high-demand CTE fields—such as architecture and engineering, healthcare, skilled trades, and computer occupations–earn salaries comparable to those of the average bachelor’s degree holder.
Quality credentials also support regional workforce development by equipping learners with skills tailored to the needs of local industries. NOCTI has witnessed the power of business and community partnerships firsthand through a partnership with NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC). Together, the organizations developed a certification for mountain biking trail building and maintenance—an initiative driven by Arkansas’s emergency as a premier destination and training hub for mountain biking. As demand grew for bicycle technicians and trail maintenance professionals, this credential helped meet the region’s workforce needs while supporting the local economy and opening doors to meaningful career opportunities.
Quality Credentials Connect Learners and Employers
As the skills gap persist, employers continue to face challenges in finding workers with the right skills and knowledge. Quality credentials help bridge this gap by offering an objective verification of a candidate’s skills and knowledge. In fact, approximately 77% of employers in high-demand industries report hiring employees specifically because of the knowledge and skills gained through their CTE experience.
A quality credential serves a dual purpose: it verifies a learner’s competency and offers impartial evidence of mastery in a specific set of skills. For employers, it offers assurance that the candidate has industry-relevant skills and is ready to make a valuable contribution to the organization.
Performance assessments offer an added layer of verification by allowing learners to showcase their real-world skills and career readiness through hands-on tasks using the tools, materials, and equipment used in their industry. These assessments go beyond traditional, knowledge-based testing to verify that an individual has the right mix of technical skills, applied knowledge, and practical experience needed to succeed in their chosen industry.
NOCTI Is Your Partner for Quality Credentials
Quality credentials and CTE programs will remain essential in equipping current and future generations with the industry-relevant skills needed to thrive. As a national leader in credentialing solutions, NOCTI is proud to collaborate with educators and industry leaders to develop credentials and career pathways that strengthen the nation’s workforce and support economic growth. NOCTI credentials are industry-driven and fully validated—giving employers confidence that candidates who hold a NOCTI certification are qualified and ready to contribute from day one. Contact us with any questions about our credentialing solutions or other services.
This blog is the second in a three-part series. Part one is How to Define High-Quality Credentials, and part three will explore the value of quality credentials for students.