Webinar – The Value of Microcredentials in the Digital Work Economy

Over 40 million people use digital work platforms as their main or secondary source of income. The platform economy offers promising advantages such as flexibility, low barriers to entry, and access to key digital infrastructure, making it an attractive labor market for skilled professionals. Many of these individuals rely on formal or informal training to acquire basic skills and competencies that they can then use as valuable assets in the digital economy.

The rapid pace of technological advancement and growing competition require constant updating and upgrading of skills for both learners and gigworkers. For platform-based gigworkers, microcredentials offer a convenient way to further their education and showcase their expertise on digital platforms and to potential clients. Microcredentials, much like the gig economy, represent a notable shift in the labor and education market by providing shorter, digital, and easily accessible opportunities.

GIZ commissioned a research sprint on behalf of BMZ to explore the value of microcredentials in the context of the digital work economy, as well as their benefits for skilled gigworkers and the value they create for current and future learners in vocational education.

In this webinar, key findings from the research sprint were shared and the web-based tool for TVET learners/gig workers on microcredentials was introduced. In addition, experts in Kenya, India, and Asia-Pacific shared their experiences with Microcredentials and for the Gig Economy. More info on the Gig Economy can be found here.