National Apprenticeship Week 2024 | How microcredentials can support Apprentices throughout their learning journey

In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week (5th-11th February), we wanted to highlight OCN London’s microcredentials suite and explore how they can provide an effective way of recognising achievement and development of skills, knowledge, and behaviours, as part of an Apprentice’s learning journey. 

Our microcredentials are designed to help individuals to gain new abilities rapidly, as well as to advance their careers. As a result, they can enhance delivery of Apprenticeship standards at varying levels, which in turn can form part of the ‘off the job’ training requirement including credentialed CPD activity, work-based learning and short training courses. 

Knowledge boost 

If you are an employer who is currently supporting an Apprentice or Apprentices, microcredentials are an excellent way to learn specific skills and information that may be required in their chosen career.  

Another way to support your Apprentices is to give them a knowledge boost via microcredentials. For example, a learner undertaking a Level 3 Business Administrator Standard, may need knowledge and skills in managing finance – so could undertake one of our short online courses in Spreadsheet Management. 

Similarly, individuals who are undertaking a Health and Social care related Apprenticeship may benefit from some specialist qualifications relevant to the type of service user they are supporting. With content relating to Dementia, substance misuse or palliative care – our microcredentials can enrich the Apprenticeship learning journey. 

SEND/Supported Learning 

They also offer an alternative approach for Apprentices who may struggle with more traditional methods of learning activity, by offering bite-size knowledge experiences which differ in size, complexity and length and can be suitable for learners with SEND or Supported Learning requirements, due to their flexible content and learning intervals. 

Celebrating milestones 

Microcredentials can also offer a way of recognising broader professional behaviours and celebrating milestones achieved by the learner as part of their Apprenticeship journey, and our linked digital badging service can help to motivate and encourage them at different points in their programme. They can even support Apprenticeship employer induction activity, to evidence new learning and skills development. 

There is no doubt that microcredentials are becoming an increasingly popular way of learning and are gaining popularity in industries such as banking, healthcare, IT/Digital, engineering, and marketing, where individuals are constantly expected to upgrade their skills. This type of precision learning offers a revolutionary method that serves to address individual needs of learners, particularly those who require specific skills and knowledge as part of their job role.

Additionally, microcredentials are gaining recognition for their effectiveness in ensuring high levels of accuracy and fluency as part of the learning process. 

OCN London’s suite of microcredentials start at Entry level through to Level 6 and start from 2 hours of learning, ensuring that your Apprentice is learning at the right time and at the right level. 

To find out more about our microcredentials suite, contact us at innovation@ocnlondon.org.uk