Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRC) are a special class of non-degree credentials that are commonly recognized in the marketplace and usually listed as a requirement for specific occupations. Typically, though not always, they supplement a post-secondary degree (e.g. a Bachelor’s degree) and represent the credential holder’s attainment of specific skills. IRCs are often explicitly required in job advertisements and are portable across state lines. They can take many forms, including badges, certifications, and licenses.
Many states incentivize education systems or students to pursue IRCs as a mechanism to help fill pressing workforce needs. Some states also recognize a secondary tier of credentials that may lack one or more features of IRCs. For example, a credential may be tied to workforce needs in a small number of counties. but not state-wide. Or a credential might not be issued by a third-party assessor, or be portable across state lines. In Hawaii, this secondary class of credentials are called Industry-Valued Credentials (IVC).
The framework, application process, and review committee for IRCs and IVCs is an important University of Hawaii initiative intended to highlight credentials tied to high-demand occupations in the state. It is one way that 麻豆传媒seeks to partner with workforce development stakeholders throughout the state to prioritize high-demand needs in one or more of our counties.
University of Hawai’i faculty and administrators may use this website to learn more about IRCs and IVCs and to prepare to submit an application to establish new credential pathways for 麻豆传媒students. If you have any questions regarding this form please contact the Office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Planning and Policy: avpapp@hawaii.edu.
How to Apply for IRC or IVC Recognition
Best practices for developing and delivering IRCs and IVCs are to involve employers early and often in the developmental process. This ensures that educational institutions’ academic preparation of students to earn IRCs and IVCs reflect employers’ evolving needs.
The Workforce Committee of the University of Hawaii will prepare an initial draft list of IRCs and IVCs for review by the Industry-Recognized Credentials Committee (IRCC), which will be convened in late 2025. An online form for new credentials to be considered can be accessed through , and submissions will be reviewed bi-annually by the IRCC. A current list of IRCs and IVCs will be published by UH, and updated bi-annually following IRCC meetings. All IRCs that are currently offered by 麻豆传媒and featured in annual reports to the state legislature will be automatically included on the initial draft list, as they are already verified.
The Kuali Build form will require proposals for IRCs and IVCs to include the following information:
- Skill sets addressed
- Evidence of endorsement by industry (is the proposed credential a minimum, desirable, or optional qualification for job applicants?)?
- Labor market demand (evidence for positive growth in number of jobs over time or projected growth over time)
- Relationship, if any, to high-demand occupations or state shortage of qualified applicants
- Evidence of employer/industry groups’ desire for a credential
- Evidence of employer/industry engagement
- Median income/range of occupations for which a credential is required or desired
Evaluation Rubric
| Criteria | a) Statewide or national recognition | b) Alignment to high-skill, high-wage, and/or in-demand occupations in one or more Hawaii counties | c) Employer endorsement | d) Third-party or governing board assessment | e) Promising Credentials inclusion | f) Required by industry | g) Attainable by secondary students? |
| Industry-Recognized Credential | Required (2 points) | Required (2 points) | Required (2 points) | Required (2 points) | Preferred but not required (1 point) | Preferred but not required (1 point) | Preferred but not required (1 point) |
| Industry-Valued Credential | Optional (1 point if met) | Required (2 points) | Required (2 points) | Not required | Optional (1 point if met) | Optional (1 point if met) | Preferred but not required (1 point) |
Criteria Details
Statewide or national recognition
- The credential has statewide or national recognition and is based on student mastery of relevant skills and knowledge.
Alignment to high-skill, high-wage, and/or in-demand occupations in one or more Hawaii counties
- The credential is aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and/or in-demand occupations in one or more Hawaii counties.
Employer endorsement
- The submission provided evidence from labor market data of demand,?or?the submission identified and included letters of support or other forms of endorsement from major employers who use the industry credential as a preferred requirement for entry-level employment or as part of the components of an entry-level job description.
Third-party or governing board assessment
- A third-party or governing board administers the assessment exam or other quantifiable measure to validate student attainment and mastery.
Promising Credentials inclusion
- Included in latest??report
Required by industry
- The credential is required to enter the workforce in the relevant industry area, i.e., a license to operate, etc.
Attainable by secondary students
- The credential is attainable by a secondary student.
Evaluation?
The points under each criterion will be added together, and a proposal’s final score determines placement on the official list of IRCs, IVCs, or neither list as follows:
- Industry-Recognized Credential: 8-11 points, and all required criteria met
- Industry-Valued Credential: 5-7 points and all required criteria in third row met
- Not included in either list: 4 or fewer total points
FAQ
What is a credential?
- A credential is a general term that can be used to describe a degree, certificate, or other form of institutional-based acknowledgment. (EP 5.205)
- A credential is a document certifying that a learner has achieved a high level of knowledge. Bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and certificates are all education credentials. So are industry certifications or other badges or licenses earned through offline or online studies.
What is the difference between a Degree Credential and a Non-Degree Credential?
- Just because these all carry the term “credential” doesn’t mean they’re created equal. Pursuing degree credentials such as a bachelor’s or master’s occurs at a traditional university or college. Employees generally recognize degree credentials as the gold standard because they’re awarded through accredited and highly regulated institutions that meet rigorous academic standards.
- Non-degree credentials (alternative credentials), such as licenses and badges, may be awarded through professional organizations or other industry groups. They typically signify knowledge in one field, such as a nursing license or a project management certification.
What is a Certificate?
- (EP 5.205) A certificate is a type of credential that can be earned in less than two years.? Community College policy () defines certificates awarded by community colleges.??
What is the difference between a Certificate of Competence and a Certificate of Achievement?
- A Certificate of Competence requires that credit course sequences shall be at least four and less than 24 credit hours and may include General Education courses appropriate to industry requirements. Non-credit course sequences shall be equivalent in instructional time as described in UHCCP #5.228 Credit Hour. ()
- A Certificate of Achievement requires that credit course sequences shall be at least 24 but may not exceed 51 credit hours.? ()
What is an Industry-Recognized Credential (IRC)?
- IRCs are typically certified, non-degree credentials often awarded by a third-party with rigorous standards, and earned through a culminating exam or other assessment directly measuring attainment of specific skills. IRCs are often explicitly requested in job ads and portable across state lines. They can take many different forms, including badges, certifications and licenses. IRCs most commonly have the following characteristics
- Typically supplements a postsecondary degree
- Often listed as pre-requisites for specific occupations
- Commonly recognized in the labor market
- Portable across state borders
- Tied to high-demand occupations in a state economy
- Tied to jobs with median incomes above a defined threshold
What is an Industry-Valued Credential (IVC)?
- IVCs may be represented by an academic credential (not a degree) or digital badge, and signify an individual’s demonstrated achievement of a specific skill or set of skills valued (but not necessarily required) by employers in a particular industry or set of industries. However, they lack many features of IRCs, such as portability across state lines or association with median incomes above a defined threshold.
Industry-Recognized Credentials Committee (IRCC) Members
The 11 members of the Industry-Recognized Credentials Committee (IRCC) is to include representatives of:
- 麻豆传媒System Director of Workforce Development (Inaugural Chair)
- State Workforce Development Council
- Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
- Office of the Vice President of Community Colleges
- Hawaii P-20
- HI Department of Education
- Hawaii Association of Independent Schools
- Military Affairs Council
- 3 at-large members?
Members designated by these groups will serve repeatable one-year terms. An Industry-Recognized Credentials Committee (IRCC) will be convened in 2025, and meet thereafter to review submitted proposals every 6 months, with a full refresh of both lists to occur every 2 years.
Questions
If you have questions about IRCs, IVCs, or the Kuali Build form, please contact the Office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Planning and Policy at avpapp@hawaii.edu.