Skill Accelerator Program of Hood College

Remote learning. Artificial intelligence. Dual-degree programs. The Graduate School at Hood College is no stranger to innovation. In staying abreast of the latest educational and workforce trends, the Graduate School is thrilled to be launching its latest venture—Skill Accelerator.

The Skill Accelerator program offers verified badges for professional development. A fairly new phenomenon, digital badges are short, focused, competency-based credentials that provide in-demand skills, knowledge and experience. Companies like Google and Microsoft popularized the advent of asynchronous online course modules, where users can earn digital certificates upon completion. Now, colleges and universities are taking this concept to the next level.

At Hood, Skill Accelerator courses are adjacent to master’s programs and taught by faculty members. The main difference, however, is that badges are designed to be completed within a typical college semester as opposed to several years. This makes Skill Accelerator badges an attractive option for anyone seeking to advance or even change their career without committing to the time and cost of a full degree. Most courses are completed online for added convenience and can be applied toward a future master’s degree.

“Increasingly, we see that businesses and organizations value the skills and competencies workers possess above other qualifications,” said April Boulton, Ph.D., associate provost and dean of the Graduate School. “We want to respond to that need with a non-degree program like Skill Accelerator badges, which complements our existing master’s and doctoral degree programs.”

Focus areas for Skill Accelerator badges are as diverse as the workforce itself: biotechnology, business, computing, counseling and trauma, education, equity and inclusion, generative AI and more. Within these subjects, badges are offered at the foundational, intermediate and advanced levels. This means that badge courses can be taken “a la carte” and stacked in ways that best meet an individual’s unique needs.

Every badge is issued through Milestone and can be displayed on resumes, social media or online portfolios. According to a LinkedIn report, more than 44% of users have added some form of digital badge or certificate to their profile. Badge recipients can highlight specialties like data analytics, management or bioinformatics to help stand out in an increasingly competitive field. With a single click, employers can view the specific competencies tied to each badge.

One of the inaugural Skill Accelerator badge kicking off the program is Applied Generative AI. Taught be David Gurzick, M.S.’03, Ph.D., professor of management science, the course introduces key AI concepts, from large learning models to data analytics, and explores cutting-edge strategies for AI in business.

Serving as coordinator for the Skill Accelerator program is Hood alumna Marcy Taylor ’81, MBA’00. “The program offers professionals an opportunity to deepen their expertise in a subject area and learn skills that will help promote their career,” said Taylor. “We think this is especially appealing because earning badges does not require the long-term commitment that is needed to earn a master’s degree. Plus, badge credits can still be stacked toward an advanced degree if desired, which provides the flexibility to select courses that will best fit your career goals.”

The Skill Accelerator badge program meets the demands of emerging trends in education, as professionals seek affordable, accessible and efficient ways to upskill and boost their careers. Likewise, industry leaders are looking for ways to retain employees by incentivizing professional development within their organizations. Taylor also noted that the Graduate School is working with local industry partners to offer tailored badge content for business and organizational cohorts.

As the job market continues to evolve, lifelong education is becoming the norm. Skill Accelerator badges tap into this need for regular professional development with a cost-effective, streamlined learning model. With plans to add even more badges in the coming years, Skill Accelerator is poised to expand the Graduate School’s reach and grow the talent pool regionally and beyond.