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Illinois PathwaysCredentials and

AssessmentsMarch 2015

www.ilpathways.com

CREDENTIALS AND ASSESSMENTS

A credential is a document, certificate, license, or digital badge proving a person's qualifications. You earn credentials by proving you have the knowledge and the skills that are required, often through completing courses or training and taking tests.

Credentials give an advantage in the hiring process.Some industries may pay a higher wage when job candidates demonstrate a higher level of skills.

Some jobs require that you have a credential or a license. For example, truck drivers and healthcare professionals need a license to perform their jobs.

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Credentials include: degrees; diplomas; credit-bearing, noncredit, and work readiness certificates; badges; professional/industry certifications; apprenticeships; and licenses—all of which, in different ways, testify to people’s skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Educational Credentials• Awarded based upon

completion of credit bearing courses.

Noncredit Certificates• Awarded for course

completion Apprenticeship-related credentials governed by labor-management partnerships.

Industry Certifications• Awarded by industry and

professional associations.

Licenses• Awarded by states to

practice a profession.

Other Credentials• Digital Badges• GED• Career Readiness

CREDENTIALS AND ASSESSMENTS

Types of Credentials:

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Support completion by

building momentum.

Be aligned with employer

needs.

Facilitate student

transitions.

STACKABLE CREDENTIALS

Stackable Credential: Part of a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time to build up an individual’s qualifications, and help them move along a career pathway or up a career ladder to different and potentially higher-paying jobs. (Source: TEGL 15- 10, www.doleta.gov)

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CREDENTIALS AND ASSESSMENTSSelect Credentials with any Pathway and Level.

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CREDENTIALS AND ASSESSMENTS

• View related credentials with the option to search and export to a spreadsheet (CSV).

• Links to credential website. Credentials/Assessments - widely recognized certificates that have market value and can be obtained through the completion of academic assessments and programs, or through industry-recognized training and certificate-granting institutions.

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CREDENTIALS AND ASSESSMENTS

Optional advanced search and export that will default to open in a spreadsheet.

8www.ilpathways.com

State of Illinois Agency Partners:Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityIllinois State Board of EducationIllinois Community College BoardIllinois Board of Higher EducationIllinois Student Assistance CommissionIllinois Department of Employment Security