A new four-part video series, Standardization and Workforce Credentials, sheds light on the role of voluntary standards in supporting quality certifications for the U.S. workforce.

Certifications have the potential to be useful tools in addressing re-employment, re-deployment, and re-education challenges that workers face in the current labor market. In 2020, more than 8,100 different certifications were awarded to millions of workers nationally. Yet, many employers, workers, students, policymakers, and education and workforce development practitioners lack knowledge on how to distinguish quality certifications from those of lesser value — and how standards help assure quality, effectiveness, and market value.

Featuring insights from credentialing experts Roy Swift, Workcred executive director; Cynthia Woodley, vice president, chief operating officer, and psychometrician at Professional Testing, Inc.; and Rob Pedigo, head of Pedigo and Associates, the series highlights how credentials that meet standards gain credibility with industry and have been proven as effective in the workplace. As one example, CDC data show that the number of food safety incidents in establishments, restaurants, and supermarkets declined within the food safety industry once certification programs were incorporated — specifically accredited certification programs.

“Standards play such a critical role in certification in this country, and when we look at quality credentials, we recognize that the quality is based on adherence to standards,” said Roy Swift, executive director of Workcred. “We are proud to debut this video series to help people understand the importance of voluntary standards that strengthen the nation’s safety and workforce — as well as aspects of everyday life.”

The four-part series is accessible on Workcred’s website and YouTube channel:

• Part I: The Basics of Standardization provides details on the elements of standards and examines the process to develop and revise standards. 
• Part II: Credentials and Assessments Built on Standards explores how standards play a role in the development of credentials, including personnel certifications, and how standards factor into the operation of certification bodies.
• Part III: The Value of Accredited Credentials highlights the value of accreditation and explains how accreditation uses standards that set quality assurance for credentials.
• Part IV: Outcomes of Standardization discusses the outcomes of standards for certification programs, like improved or increased employability and decreased public safety concerns. The video recommends increased data collection efforts and standards in order to better quantify these outcomes.