Describe the unique selling points of certification
Higher education institutions are increasingly evaluated based on metrics for graduate outcomes, including salary and industry destinations. Such metrics are disseminated in the public domain, influence league tables, and affect program recruitment.
In light of the importance of these metrics, then, what's a good way for an educational institution to improve graduate employment outcomes? Research on role-based certifications indicates that a certified employee’s performance is significantly better than their uncertified colleagues1. Similarly, a cloud skills gap report highlighted the importance and value of cloud certifications in the workplace2. Therefore, a strong case can be made for creating valuable opportunities for students to pursue certification as part of their degree program.
The improved employability of graduates with certification is a unique selling point to promote and market degree programs. This allows programs to differentiate themselves from other programs in the same market space.
1 Benefits of Role-Based Certifications
2 Microsoft Cloud Skills Report: Closing the Cloud Skills Chasm