What are digital credentials? 

If you’ve come across the term ‘digital credentials’ and are wondering what this means, how they work, or whether you’re eligible to gain these credentials – you’ve come to the right place! Here, I’ll explain the answers to your commonly asked questions on digital credentials and more. 

What are digital credentials? 

Digital credentials are secure, verifiable, digital assets that validate an individual’s academic or professional achievements. Recipients can use these portable and sharable credentials to demonstrate their skills, opening up pathways to further education and employment. 

Here at NCFE, they provide an innovative and efficient way of certificating learning for our non-regulated NCFE Endorsed Programmes. Educators and employers can empower individuals to showcase their achievements online, demonstrating their commitment to learning and development.  

How do digital credentials work? 

When an individual completes a course or achieves a milestone, the issuing organisation creates a digital credential containing metadata such as the programme name, date of achievement, and a description of the skills or knowledge demonstrated.  

This credential is then securely stored on a digital platform using encrypted data. Recipients can share their credentials via digital wallets, social media, or professional networks. Employers and educational institutions can easily verify these credentials by accessing the embedded metadata, ensuring authenticity and reducing the potential for fraud. 

How widely available are digital credentials?  

Digital credentials are becoming increasingly prevalent across the UK, with many educational institutions, employers and professional organisations adopting this innovative form of skills recognition. Training providers and colleges are integrating digital badges and certificates into their programmes, providing students with verifiable proof of achievements that may not be covered by traditional regulated qualifications.  

Employers are also embracing digital credentials to certify skills and competencies acquired through continuous professional development (CPD) courses, adding a layer of credibility to their employee training strategy. This growing adoption signifies a shift towards a more modern, efficient, and transparent system of certification, paving the way for widespread acceptance across various sectors. 

What are the benefits of digital credentials? 

There are several benefits to offering digital credentials both for learners, and for employers and training providers. For example, the benefits when it comes to offering these credentials upon completion of an NCFE Endorsed Programme include: 

• Mark of quality: employers and providers can outwardly demonstrate their commitment to providing high quality learning and development opportunities.  

• Skills recognition: digital credentials provide a tangible way for learners and employees to evidence their achievements. 

• Flexibility: digital credentials can be tailored to recognise various accomplishments within an Endorsed Programme, providing a bespoke acknowledgment of skills. 

• Control: organisations have full control over the issuing and management of credentials, including setting expiration dates and revoking credentials remotely if necessary. 

• Personalisation: digital credentials can be customised with an issuing organisation’s branding, helping to boost brand recognition and build a positive reputation.  

• Inspire pride: recipients can proudly share their digital badges on the web and social media.  

To learn more about digital credentials or to request a demo on how they work, you can visit our dedicated digital credentials webpage.