Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced that the state is launching the Alabama Credential Registry, which she says is “first in a series of technology solutions that will implement Alabama’s talent development system.”
Gov. Ivey’s office explained in a press release that the new registry will allow employers and education and training providers to publish all of the certificates, licenses, traditional degrees, and non-degree credentials offered in Alabama. The credential information will then be displayed on the Alabama Credential Registry, where employers will verify that a worker or student has the skills and credentials needed for a job.
“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,” Gov. Ivey said in a press release. “Alabama is developing a skills-based, learner-centered, and employer-driven talent development system that is focused on connecting talent to opportunity.”
Alabama Workforce Council Chairman Tim McCartney explained that by “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.”
Following the launch of the registry, Gov. Ivey’s office said the state will launch the Alabama Skills-Based Job Description Generator and Employer Portal in early 2022. With the new portal, employers will be able to create customized job descriptions. The state will also launch the Alabama College and Career Exploration Tool, allowing job seekers to develop verified resumes and 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 of the 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.”
