Which Works for 2020 & Beyond: Micro Certifications, Vocational Qualifications, or a University Degree?

We all know that the effects of the Covid crisis are profound and that all forms of learning have been affected, especially amongst the most vulnerable social groups.  Ironically, during the lockdown, half of the top ten in-demand occupations in five English-speaking countries required no more than a high school diploma (OECD, 2020).  

Research from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that when the large scale lockdowns were implemented globally, the occupations that saw an increase in job postings tended  to  include–but  were  not  limited  to – health  care,  food production  and  distribution,  law  enforcement,  critical  infrastructure,  public  safety  and  manufacturing  of personal protective equipment.  Whereas a degree was preferable for some positions, a two‑year associate’s degree was sufficient. In many cases, a high-school diploma worked. 

The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of the global economy to collapses in essential supplies and services. There is now a greater awareness of how much we depend on and need people like farmers, community based health workers, care givers, construction workers and retail staff who serve us from behind plexi-glass. 

Conversely, a pre-virus study by the McKinsey Global Institute (2017) projected job growth through 2030 for health professionals, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas, and alternative energy. The projections also forecast a growth in professional jobs for service oriented fields including managers, and in education.  All of the areas mentioned require some form of higher education or university degree.

Yet another 2018 study by consultants EY (formerly Ernst and Young) says that university degrees need a major overhaul to keep pace with demands of employers.  The report says that about 40 per cent of existing university degrees will soon be obsolete and that traditional undergraduate or postgraduate degrees could disappear within a decade.

The study revealed that more and more people are leaning towards lifelong learning that is delivered largely online, and that students either want to complete four-year degrees faster or prefer to pursue micro-certifications or micro-credentials that are relevant to the work they want to do.

So, Which for Work: Micro Certifications, Vocational Qualifications, or a University Degree?

Whichever route you choose, these are all viable options for earning qualifications for your career, and having options is a good thing.   In fact, vocational qualifications are accepted by some universities towards earning higher degrees.  Similarly, career changers with university degrees can undertake vocational qualifications even if they have previously graduated in a different sector as a pathway for professional development.  Micro-credentials can help to complement both vocational and university qualifications.

The strategy is to keep current, keep upskilling and keep learning!  The infographic here provides some tips to help you to make a decision for your next learning experience.

References

Cawood, R.  (2018). Can the universities of today lead learning for tomorrow? : The university of the future.   EY: Adelaide.

Manyika, J., Lund, S., Chui, M., Bughin, J., Woetzel, J., Batra, P., Ko, R .& Sanghvi, S. (2017). Jobs lost, jobs gained: workforce transitions in a time of automation.  McKinsey Global Institute: San Francisco.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2020, October 5). Skill measures to mobilize the workforce during the COVID-19crisis. 

https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/skill-measures-to-mobilise-the-workforce-during-the-covid-19-crisis-afd33a65/