What is a microcredential?

The Open University, in partnership with the Department for the Economy, are offering a limited number of fully-funded places across nine different microcredentials for people whose employment has been affected by the current pandemic.

But what is a microcredential and how could one benefit you?

With a microcredential you can rapidly learn new skills and techniques that you can immediately apply and take back to your workplace or business. They are also great additions to a CV or portfolio.

Microcredentials are university level online professional development short courses designed to help you build professional skills. They take an average of 10-12 weeks of online study to complete which equates to only 9-12 hours of learning per week. At the end, you gain academic credit to help you advance your career as a standalone credential and the flexibility to use it towards another qualification later down the line.

Created by leading OU academics, and endorsed by high profile industry partners, microcredentials provide a perfect balance of academic excellence and business, workplace or sector relevance.

With a microcredential, your study and assessments will take place entirely online but you’ll still have the opportunity to interact with your fellow learners and course mentors online.  . If you are trying to work flexibly, and fit your study around the other priorities in your life, these sessions are also recorded so that you can view them at a time and place that suits you.

These courses are designed to upskill you for work in carefully selected and rapidly growing industries so that you can stay ahead of the curve without the time commitment needed for a full degree.

Normally costing between £350 and £1000, for those impacted by COVID-19 in Northern Ireland, the Department for the Economy are covering these fees meaning that you don’t have to spend a penny. As long as you have access to the internet you can study. With fully-funded options, the trademark OU flexibility and sector endorsed learning all right at your fingertips, there’s no excuse why you shouldn’t start upskilling today.

For more information about the funding scheme, including the courses on offer and eligibility, visit our “Fully-funded Microcredentials” landing page here: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/choose/skill-up