Highlighting the significance of the grant and the project, managing director of UAC David Christie said it is “the next important step towards a comprehensive national framework for information about and access to all kinds of education credentials”.

“UAC is proud to be working with the Australian government and playing our part to further skill development and lifelong learning for all Australians,” he said.

“UAC is proud to be playing our part to further skill development and lifelong learning for all Australians”

The Microcredentials Marketplace is a $4.3 million initiative of Australia’s Department of Education, Skills, and Employment, announced in June 2020. UAC’s “user-friendly” online platform aims to help learners understand how they can better leverage shorter course credits towards attaining a larger complete qualification and/or skill-set.

It will help adult workers and job-seekers be better informed in identifying their learning needs and options, thereby enabling them to chart out a better future career path for themselves, developers said.

Additionally, the platform will be a nationally consistent resource for students to map credit points and compare and stack short courses and credits to build credit value towards a bigger qualification or skill set.

Furthermore, the Marketplace will complement the National Credentials Platform, an online platform that will provide students with a comprehensive, accredited, and secure resource to showcase their Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications.

It will also help bridge the gap between job-seekers and employers, by offering a consistent and standardised platform for information sharing, where verified education records of applicants would be able to be accessed by the prospective employers.

Micro-credentials are increasingly becoming a critical aspect of the education and skills landscape in Australia, and would be key to the emergence of a strong workforce geared to meet the challenges faced by the country, on the other side of Covid-19.

“The Microcredential Marketplace will be a platform for job-seekers to see what skills they can gain by further study to help them get a new job or to get ahead in their current job,” said minister for Education Dan Tehan in 2020.

“An educated and highly-skilled workforce will be essential to help power Australia’s post-Covid-19 recovery.”