Today, the world is changing rapidly more so than ever before with disruptive technological developments, climate change, deepening inequities in the society and persisting conflict. These forces collectively have a significant impact on the traditional social and cultural mores and the economy, the nature and the future of work.
The mechanical world of work with its highly specialised knowledge has given way to a technologically driven world of work taking strength from artificial intelligence. Youth and early-career professionals would potentially have to re-invent themselves, learn new skills or change jobs several times during the course of a career, resulting in a great demand for lifelong learning.
Moreover, in low-resource countries like Pakistan with a youth bulge and access to higher education only at around 12%, there is urgent need to widen access and prepare a skilled workforce responding to national needs and to international agreements for youth employment such as the recent agreement with Italy, allocating a labour quota for Pakistan.
International organisations such as UNESCO are looking at micro-credentials as an emerging policy option in response to the labour force needs of reskilling and upskilling the workforce. These are largely online, short and competency-based modules, offering targeted opportunities to acquire or update specific competencies. Typically, micro-credentials are awarded by credible providers and include a record of learning achievement and assessment.
Enabled by secure digital platforms, micro-credentials can be authenticated, stored and shared across institutions and labour markets, offering flexible and portable pathways for lifelong learning and professional development and reducing barriers related to cost and time often associated with traditional forms of post-secondary education.
However, for micro-credentials to achieve the dual purpose of closing the skills gap in the labour market and enabling wider access, uncertainty about recognition, acceptance and portability within higher education and labour markets would have to be addressed. Universities and institutions of higher learning with their well-established systems and processes of quality assurance and data management could ensure that pitfalls in quality, coherence and credibility are avoided.
Professor Anjum Halai
AKU, Karachi
