2026 Badge Summit

This collaborative session shares lessons learned from Yavapai College’s first year of microcredential development. We’ll discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what we wish we’d known, including processes, quality criteria, faculty and student support, and alignment to the workforce. Participants at any stage will be invited to share their lessons learned and learn from one another.

As Learning and Employment Records (LERs) gain traction, two “last-mile” questions continue to shape whether credentials can move from concept to real-world impact: what information employers actually need to make decisions, and how credentials are transferred between systems in practice.
In this session, 1EdTech will share early findings from ongoing research exploring these two foundational areas. Drawing on employer research, ecosystem surveys, and technical analysis, we will summarize:

• What employers say they need to see in credentials to support skills-based hiring and talent decisions (e.g., skills clarity, validation signals, evidence, and context).
• How credentials are currently transported across issuers, wallets, repositories, and employer systems—and where gaps, inconsistencies, or alignment appear.

Designed for a general Digital Credentials Summit audience, this session is informational rather than prescriptive. It offers a clear snapshot of emerging insights to help educators, credential issuers, platform providers, employers, and policymakers better understand the current state of LER adoption—and what may need to evolve next.
Attendees will leave with a shared baseline understanding of the evidence shaping LER discussions heading into deeper technical and employer-focused conversations.

This presentation explores the growing demand for trusted, high‑quality, and verifiable credentials by examining the importance of transparency in credentialing processes, highlighting strategies for effectively engaging stakeholders in credential development, and demonstrating how strong credentials enhance both student career success and employer trust.