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Credential Engine

The non-profit Credential Engine works to empower learners through credential transparency, developing a centralized Credential Registry to house credential data, a common language to enable credential comparability, and a platform for customized applications to search and retrieve credential information. Use the beta search tool Credential Finder to search Registry data.

Cost: Free

Key Features

  • Develops and maintains the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and CTDL-ASN which provide the common language and “rules of the road” for how credentials, credentialing organizations, quality assurance information, and competencies are described both in the Registry and on the Web.
  • Scales and maintains the Credential Registry that collects, connects, and maintains up-to-date credential data.
  • Guides future development and use of the Registry through stakeholder advisory groups representing the higher education, business, certification and licensure, quality assurance, and technical communities.
  • Provides search engine applications such as:
  • Credential Finder – a prototype search application to demonstrate all the information that could be pulled from the Registry and show how it could be presented and organized
  • Develops and maintains the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and CTDL-ASN which provide the common language and “rules of the road” for how credentials, credentialing organizations, quality assurance information, and competencies are described both in the Registry and on the Web.
  • Customizable applications that can be built or used through the Open Applications Marketplace to utilize the Registryʼs data to access tailored credential information.

Use Credential Finder to view credentials, assessments, learning opportunities, and organizations currently in the Registry.

Click on any listing to learn more, including owning organization, competencies, and related occupations.
Credential listings include competencies measured, providing clear understanding of the value of the credential.

Watch a demonstration of how the Credential Finder can be used to search, discover, and compare credential data.

What They're Saying

“Credential Engine is creating a lot greater clarity about credentials and providing empowering information to the public about career and education opportunities.“ –Penny Pritzker, Former U.S. Secretary, Department of Commerce

“We encourage more businesses, labor organizations, education institutions, and training agencies to join this cause and work together to contribute to the development of the Credential Registry.” –Jamie Dimon, JPMorganChase & Co.

“Ivy Tech Community College students often move back and forth along their career and education pathways, earning credentials along the way. Credential Engine illustrates those educational connections between industry, certifications, apprenticeships, and degrees for the first time.” –Sue Ellspermann, President, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana

Case Study

State Case Study: Indiana

Credential Engine is currently working with nine states and one metro region that have committed to credential transparency across their states and regions. State partners are using the Credential Registry as a tool to help them reach statewide goals around postsecondary educational attainment, career pathways, economic development, and more.

Through the Commission for Higher Education, Indiana was the first state scale up initiative, where they first focused on publishing information about healthcare credentials, with a focus on the connection to military training and highlighting Governor Holcomb’s Next Level Indiana initiative to demonstrate which credentials are related to high-priority industries. Indiana is now in the second phase of its project, where it is working with all public institutions to publish data about all credentials to the Registry.

See the Indiana use cases

Other Digital Resources

Video highlighting why leaders from business, education, and workforce are working to support Credential Engine.

General fact sheet explaining the goals of Credential Engine.

Counting U.S. Secondary and Postsecondary Credentials – April 2018 Report

Credential Transparency Description Language Fact Sheet

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