Skills are like plants. You plant the seed, you care for it, you do the work to make it flourish, and they take care of you. It is amazing how learning one skill can take you, whether from a course or micro-credentials.
You may learn to drive a forklift while training in LMT, and in the future, you will be managing a crew in a large warehouse and helping train others on how to safely operate and drive. Or you may learn basic admin skills, discover you love the challenge of Microsoft Excel, and become so proficient that you soon are the go-to person for solving problems.
But all skills start small. Making tiny steps is like taking bites of a colossal pizza. The old phrase “how do you eat an elephant… one bite at a time” rings true with skills training. So it can be very intimidating if you have the desire to learn a certain set of skills to improve your career, but the very idea of starting is intimidating.
Can you be future-proof?
Skills training takes commitment. Not just of your mind but of your time, money, and energy. It can feel even more intimidating when you begin to think things through, and your brain is going to overthink it. Are you ready for a full-time course? What about your job? What if you don’t get a job after the program?
If you have had those thoughts, you aren’t the only one. No one can tell the future, but you can make yourself more future-proof than ever before. That means being proactive by learning the basics of a skillset you need, and growing them through practice and application. For example, you can begin with learning basic carpentry skills such as measuring and cutting, and work your way up to building house interior frames. It takes some time, but you need to be resilient to succeed. Some skills you do not want to rush, after all, for safety reasons.
Micro-Credentials: Getting you there a step at a time
Skills training facilities like Pathways Career College offer full-time programs, but they can also offer micro-credentials, which take less time and pack a lot of knowledge into a small package. Micro-credentials, as stated by the Government of Ontario, “…are rapid training programs offered by postsecondary education institutions across the province that can help you get the skills that employers need. Micro-credentials help people retrain and upgrade their skills to find new employment.”
Micro-credentials are shorter, focused programs that help you take less time to complete the program than degrees or diplomas. While Pathways only offers hands-on training right now, it is possible to find online courses as well. Micro-credentials are taught with businesses in mind, so that students learn the skills that employers need.
Full-time education is amazing, but if you want to experience a skillset in smaller doses, you’ll want to consider micro-credentials. You’ll be more employable and more knowledgeable, ready to take on challenges.
Can I become more employable in a short time?
Short answer, yes! In the competitive job market we are in, it can be daunting to find something about yourself to stand out. Skills are the answer for that. Soft skills and hard skills both play important parts in your hireability. Hard skills show that you can learn and adapt, that you can be trustworthy and trainable right from the start. Employers are going to look for the best fit, not just in personality but in the skills you bring.
While an eager attitude can help you gain a job, any job that requires the use of skills is going to want you to be already trained or at least have a good understanding of what is expected of you. How do you know what skills employers are looking for? Check out the job postings for roles you’d like.
Micro-credentials allow you to bring the skills you need in shorter time periods. If you are looking to upskill, you can do so faster with micro-credentials. Learning the essentials is the most important part of getting started in growing your skill set. Once you learn them, you are ready to learn more by taking your skills onto the job site.
Fit Your Schedule with Micro-credentials
Your schedule might be wide open. Or, like many people, you may be juggling dozens of tasks every day. If you work full-time, regardless of the position you have, finding time to do anything as necessary as skill-building can feel impossible. Childcare, health concerns, scheduling… everything can stop you from doing what you need to do.
Attending a micro-credential can be the answer you’re looking for.
Micro-credentials teach Soft Skills too?
It may be surprising to think of soft skills when you’re so focused on brushing up your skill sets, but you can definitely make gains with your soft skills. Micro-credentials at Pathways work in small groups, where communication and listening become important. These groups allow you to work on your emotional intelligence while working on your skills.
Since micro-credentials are often only half a day to two days, knowing how to plan your day and how to spend your time is important. Not only are you having to plan to get to the facility at the correct time, but planning the rest of your day around it will be important. This is time management and optimization at its most useful!
Soft skills are vital in any career or in everyday life. Communication, self-management, and the ability to learn are important and can benefit you throughout your day. Micro-credentials allow you to learn faster and apply skills, no matter what they are.
What are the other major benefits of micro-credentials?
Many post-secondary schools offer micro-credentials because they are ideal for growing skill sets. Students who have graduated can benefit immediately from adding to the employable skills they have already learned. But new grads aren’t the only ones.
If you are a youth (aged 18-29), these can be excellent ways to enter a field in small steps, filling out the skillset a job path may need. If you are transitioning out of your current job or career, then micro-credentials can be a big boost as well to helping you figure out what you want to do. Or maybe you just want to build some skills for your home use or a small business you want to start. Whatever your reason, there are many benefits to micro-credentials!
You’ll have more purpose: You will likely take a micro-credential intentionally, instead of it just being attached to a course you are taking. Taking other courses? That’s great! Micro-credentials are often ones you can use along with other courses and skills you’ve learned.
You’ll be hands-on: Some people can learn easily out of textbooks, but many people can’t. Having the chance to work with tools and projects allows you to fully understand how things work and why they do what they do. This creates more opportunity for the learning to really sink in.
You can be flexible: Many people have busy lives. Work, family, health, home… everything has to be balanced. It can be easy to feel stressed and never take another course. But the best time to learn is when you are invested in your outcome and when you can afford to be flexible. Micro-credentials at Pathways are for shorter durations, and individual micro-credential courses happen repeatedly, allowing you to take courses as needed and as your schedule allows.
Your Growth Starts with One Step
Skills, much like a sturdy tree, don’t grow overnight—but they do grow steadily once they are in the right environment. Micro-credentials take the massive sphere of career training and serve it up in manageable, bite-sized pieces that fit into your actual life.
Whether you’re a youth looking for your first break, a professional pivoting to a new industry, or someone simply looking to be more “future-proof,” you don’t have to wait years to see results. By choosing focused, hands-on training, you are taking control of your hireability today. Remember: every expert was once a beginner who took that first small step.
Are you ready to start growing? Talk to us at one of our free information sessions, every Wednesday at 9:30 am! We’d love to help you.
