by PRP Group, on 03/25/2024
When Polk County schools began focusing on career and technical education in the spring of 2023, one of their goals was to help students succeed in the workplace by offering the opportunity to develop soft skills and earn micro-credentials to communicate with potential employers. The district collaborated with Education Design Lab, Muzzy Lane, Polk Vision, the Central Florida Development Council, and Southern New Hampshire University to make this dream a reality. How The Credentialing Initiative Got Started
To make sure students were learning locally relevant skills, the partners convened 32 Polk County employers. Through this convening, the group sought to create awareness about the value of soft skills and micro-credentials and to ask the employers what skills mattered most for their entry-level jobs. One set of these employers/businesses was engaged through participation in the Polk County School District Career Academy Advisory Board composed of employers, business support agencies (chambers and economic development), the public sector, etc. Additionally, the initiative engaged the county-wide Polk Vision operating board composed of community leaders and agencies. Based on input from these groups, the project focused on three skills: Critical Thinking, Oral Communication, and Initiative.