Governor Ivey Announces the Alabama Credential Registry

MONTGOMERY – Governor Ivey today announced, in partnership with Credential Engine, Lumina Foundation, and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, and the Alabama Workforce Council, Governor Ivey is launching the Alabama Credential Registry, which is the first in a series of technology solutions that will implement Alabama’s talent development system.

“Understanding the skills and credentials that compose the ‘DNA’ of Alabama’s in-demand jobs is key to providing every Alabamian with access to an in-demand career pathway,” Governor Ivey said. “Alabama is developing a skills-based, learner-centered, and employer-driven talent development system that is focused on connecting talent to opportunity.”

The Alabama Credential Registry will enable employers and education and training providers to publish all the certificates, licenses, traditional degrees, and non-degree credentials offered in Alabama. This credential information will be displayed on the Alabama Credential Registry to signal to employers that a worker or student possesses the requisite skills for a job.

“Using this new technology, and working alongside employers in every industry, Alabama will reach the tipping point of publishing over half of the credentials in the state to the Alabama Credential Registry by 2023,” Alabama Workforce Council Chairman Tim McCartney said.

According to Credential Engine, there are over 750,000 different credentials, so it is hard to easily find reliable and actionable information on the value of various credentials, where to get them, what each competency and skill means, the cost, and employment opportunities associated with each opportunity.

The Alabama Credential Registry will be followed in early 2022 by the Alabama Skills-Based Job Description Generator and Employer Portal, which will allow employers to create customized job descriptions for jobs in their firms, and the Alabama College and Career Exploration Tool, which will allow job seekers to develop verified resumes and to link directly to skills-based job descriptions generated by employers.

Having a comprehensive statewide inventory of postsecondary credentials will be an important tool to meet Alabama’s education, workforce, and economic development needs,” Dr. Jim Purcell, Executive Director, Alabama Commission on Higher Education said. “The Credential Registry will help us identify gaps in our postsecondary offerings and fill those based on what employers need. It will also help make sure that Alabamians can find high-quality educational opportunities that fit their professional goals.”

Employers and education and training providers are encouraged to visit https://credentials.alabama.gov/ to register as a credential provider and to register all credentials offered by their companies. Registering credentials will make them eligible for inclusion on the state’s list of valuable credentials and will assist education and training providers that meet the needs of business and industry.

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