How ‘micro’ amounts of lifelong learning are yielding big results

Ireland is facing an increasingly significant skills shortage across all industries and sectors. Advancements in technology and digitalisation, moves for companies to be more environmentally aware and knock-on effects from the pandemic mean organisations must look towards upskilling and reskilling their employees to future-proof themselves, according to David Corscadden, MicroCreds Communications Manager at the Irish Universities Association.

A recent ManPower Group Employment Outlook survey showed that four in five Irish companies are struggling to find the talent they require. It is not just core competencies such as IT & data, engineering or logistics that companies require, it is also transversal skills like creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. In a competitive labour market, supporting professional development has become a key tool for both the recruitment and retention of staff.

“Micro-credentials are small, bite-sized, accredited courses that allow learners to engage with lifelong learning to build specific skills and competencies in an accessible and agile way,” said Corscadden. “Unlike traditional full-time courses, micro-credentials are designed in collaboration with enterprise to fulfil a specific need or a specific skills gap.”

MicroCreds is an ambitious five-year (2020-2025), €12.3 million project led by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) in partnership with seven IUA universities: Dublin City University, Maynooth University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Dublin, University of Galway and University of Limerick. The project funding was awarded following a competitive process under the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS)’s Human Capital Initiative Pillar 3 Innovation and Agility, with funding drawn from the National Training Fund.

Corscadden said: “We will be the first European country to establish a coherent National Framework for quality assured and accredited micro-credentials. IUA project partner universities are collaborating to develop, pilot and evaluate the building blocks required for a transformation in lifelong and life-wide learning through micro-credentials. Micro-credentials developed at partner universities will set the standard for excellence in flexible and agile learning.

“We are working in partnership with learners and our Enterprise Advisory Group, comprising senior enterprise members from business representative organisations, enterprise agencies, private sector companies and state bodies with responsibility for skills to change thinking about and engagement structures with university learning. We are focusing on learners who are seeking to upskill, re-skill, return to employment or change careers.”

Micro-credentials range in length between four and 12 weeks and are delivered in a range of formats, including online, in-person and hybrid, which allow learners to engage with education in a way that better fits around their life and work commitments. Learners can choose to undertake an individual micro-credential or continue on studying, advancing their skills and knowledge over time.

Professor Sarah McCormack is Professor in Sustainable Energy at Trinity College Dublin and coordinates a micro-credential on Solar Energy Conversion and Application.

Solar energy is one of the fastest-growing sectors within the renewable energy industry in Ireland, said McCormack. “There is an ambitious target set out in the Climate Action Plan to deliver a target of 8GW of solar energy by 2030 and providing a micro-credential in this area provides the learner with the knowledge and additional skills needed to work in this rapidly expanding industry.”

“This is a new course. The classes are online with the option for attendance at lectures in-person. The flexibility has been appreciated – to have the ability to complete lectures and coursework online and make it possible to balance their studies with other professional and personal commitments.”

She said that the micro-credential provides specialised knowledge in solar energy conversion technologies, including photovoltaics and solar thermal technologies.

“With the rapid growth of the solar energy industry, there are increasing opportunities for learners with specialised knowledge in this area. As more businesses, governments, and individuals seek to utilise solar energy, there is a growing demand for professionals with expertise in solar energy applications. Given that energy markets are often heavily regulated, part of the course provides understanding of the regulatory environment surrounding solar energy, which is valuable in roles involving project planning and management.

“The micro-credential can help learners develop transferable skills, such as problem-solving, project management, and analytical skills, which are valuable in a wide range of roles. For learners currently in other energy sectors or roles, gaining a micro-credential in solar energy could provide a pathway into a new area of the industry.”

She said that it offers a flexible, cost-effective way for learners to acquire new skills and stay current with industry trends, while simultaneously enhancing their career prospects.

Corscadden said that MicroCreds.ie is a key deliverable of the MicroCreds project which at the time of launching brings together hundreds of short, flexible and accredited courses from seven partner IUA universities into one central place for learners to engage with.

“Our partners have developed micro-credentials in the areas of sustainability, digital transformation, data programming, digital disruption, and fintech, to name just a few.

“The platform has been developed with our partner universities and puts the learners’ needs at the forefront of visitor experience using extensive UX research to make lifelong learning easier and more accessible for both individuals and enterprise to engage with.”

MicroCreds.ie will continue to be developed and enhanced over the coming months making it easier for both learners and enterprise to engage with short, flexible and accredited courses in Ireland. “Our partner universities are continuing to develop new micro-credentials to address specific skills needs and new course offerings will continue to be added to the platform over the coming months,” said Corscadden.

“The new platform is central to the communications and awareness-raising campaign that is currently being rolled out at both a national and local level through digital and traditional media. Our campaign aims to raise awareness of micro-credentials and the importance of lifelong learning in addressing skills needs in Ireland.”

Feedback from both learners and enterprise has been extremely positive because they can clearly see the benefits and value of micro-credentials for them, he said.

“The launch of MicroCreds.ie has been pivotal to making lifelong learning and engaging with micro-credentials more accessible for everyone. A common issue we heard from learners and enterprise was that they didn’t know where to go to find upskilling opportunities.

“Our new platform brings together courses from seven leading universities into one central place where they can search, compare and find the right course for their needs,” he said.