Skills-based learning has developed beyond a conversation and has become the focus of many learning institutions from higher education to community colleges, career-specific educators, internal company training, and more. As Kwame Yangame, CEO of Qwasar Silicon Valley, noted, “if you scan the job requirements for any active tech job, the words “skills,” “experience,” and “proven ability” are constantly repeated across postings.” But if you have to have experience and skills to get a job, how do you get the skills and experience? Sometimes the ability to prove skills through an assessment can serve as a replacement for degrees or even experience.
Skills are the currency employers are looking for, and if learners are going to trade time and money for a degree or certification, skills-based programs will win out every time. So how do we increase this velocity and volume of learners’ skills within current frameworks?