1. Attainment of Credentials, Degrees and Certificates
TRAINING SERIES
Attainment of Credentials, Degrees and Certificates
Welcome to the Department of Economic Opportunity’s WIA Training Series, a series developed to help make Workforce Investment guidance, policies, and rulings easier to understand and implement.
WIA seeks to help participants acquire the skills needed to obtain long-term employment with adequate wages.
It also assists employers in finding the skilled workers they need to compete and succeed in business.
This training module examines the attainment of credentials, degrees, and certificates obtained as a result of WIA activities.
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Workforce Investment Act

2. Why Credentials Matter
A nationally-recognized credential certifies that a job applicant has mastered certain skills
A credential indicates that a job applicant has a certain level of determination and follow-through
A credential may indicate that a job applicant can meet attendance requirements
When employers are seeking new employees, they look for two sets of qualities:
Mastery of skills appropriate to the position
A good work ethic
A credential will provide some support for the existence of those qualities.
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3. WIA Youth Outcome (Common Measures)
Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TELG) provides measures for the success of all workforce programs. One of the youth outcomes is:
Attainment of a Degree or Certificate
The U.S. Department of Labor is charged with establishing common standards to measure the performance of the workforce programs it administers.
The latest instructions came out in TEGL and subsequent changes.
The common measure that is relevant to this presentation for youth is Attainment of a Degree or Certificate.
We will examine the parameters of this standard in detail.
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4. Degree Defined High-school Diploma or equivalent (GED)
Post-Secondary Degrees (Associate’s, Bachelor’s Degrees, e.g.)
Degrees are defined as a high-school diploma or GED, and a post-secondary degree.
For example, an Associate’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree.
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5. Certificate Defined
A certificate is awarded in recognition of an individual’s attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills necessary to gain employment or advance within an occupation.
A certificate is awarded in recognition of an individual’s attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills necessary to gain employment or advance within an occupation.
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6. Certificates Issued By Educational Agencies
State educational agency responsible for administering vocational and technical education within the State
Institution of higher education (includes community colleges, proprietary schools and other institutions that are eligible to participate in federal student financial aid programs)
Institutions of higher education controlled or chartered by an Indian tribe or tribes
TEGL
The USDOL recognizes that certain entities are qualified to issue such certificates. These entities will be described in subsequent slides.
The first set of entities that are recognized as able to issue certificates are educational agencies.
The State educational agency responsible for administering vocational and technical education in the State (Florida Department of Education).
An institution of higher education, such as community colleges, technical institutes, private schools, and other institutions that are eligible to participate in federal student financial aid programs.
An institution of higher education formally controlled or chartered by the governing body of an Indian tribe or tribes.
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7. Certificates Issued By Business or Labor Organizations
A professional, industry, or employer organization
A product manufacturer or developer
A registered apprenticeship program sponsor
The second set of entities that are recognized as able to issue certificates are business or labor-based.
A professional, industry, or employer organization, such as the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence or the National Institute for Metalworking Skills.
A product manufacturer or developer, such as Microsoft or Novell.
A registered apprenticeship program sponsor.
These employer/labor-based entities share certain characteristics with the educational entities:
They have rigorous curricula.
They enforce credential requirements for instructors.
They require demonstration of adequate skills for the award of the certificate.
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8. Certificates Issued By Regulatory Agencies
A public regulatory agency, upon an individual’s fulfillment of educational, work experience, or skill requirements that are legally necessary for an individual to use an occupational or professional title or to practice an occupation or profession (e.g. nurse , state certified asbestos inspector)
The third set of entities that are recognized as able to issue certificates are regulatory agencies that license professionals.
This would affect professions such as nursing or licensed construction professionals like master electricians or contractors, etc.
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9. Certificates Issued By Workforce Partner Programs
A program that has been approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer education benefits to veterans and other eligible persons
Job Corps centers that issue certificates
This last set includes programs that have been approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer education benefits to veterans and other eligible persons.
If a Job Corps issues certificates, these certificates will also be recognized by WIA.
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10. Certificate Exclusions
Certificates awarded by regional workforce boards are not recognized. Work readiness certificates are likewise not recognized.
Certificates awarded by regional workforce boards are not included in this definition.
Likewise, work readiness certificates are not recognized.
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11. Credential as WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker Outcome (Core Indicator)
The Workforce Investment Act provides that one of the Core Indicators of Performance for adults and dislocated workers is:
Attainment of a recognized credential relating to achievement of educational skills, which may include attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, or occupational skills, by participants who enter unsubsidized employment.
Client must have enrolled in WIA training
Besides the common measures, WIA also uses core indicators to measure program outcomes for WIA clients.
For adults and dislocated workers, one of these indicators recognizes the attainment of a recognized credential relating to the achievement of educational skills, such as a high-school diploma or GED, as well as a recognized credential relating to occupational skills.
To claim this outcome, the client must also enter unsubsidized employment.
The client must have enrolled in WIA training.
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12. Credential as WIA Older Youth Outcome (Core Indicator)
The Workforce Investment Act provides that one of the Core Indicators of Performance for youth age 19 – 21 is:
Attainment of a recognized credential relating to achievement of educational skills, which may include attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, or occupational skills, by participants who enter unsubsidized employment or postsecondary/advanced training.
The older youth outcome is almost identical to the adult/dislocated worker’s.
The difference is that the credential may be claimed as an outcome not only when the older youth enter unsubsidized employment, but also when they enter postsecondary or advanced training.
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13. Credential Defined
A credential is defined as a certificate. This definition applies to clients who began receiving services on or after July 1, 2006.
[TEGL Attachment D]
A major change took place when TEGL was issued.
For all clients who began receiving services on or after July 1, 2006, a credential has to meet the requirements for a Certificate described earlier in this presentation.
This presentation will not address the standards that were in place for clients who began receiving WIA services prior to July 1, 2006.
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14. Attainment of a Credential
A credential may be obtained while a client is still participating in WIA services and up to three quarters after exit.
For adults and dislocated workers, a credential may only be entered if the client was enrolled in training.
A credential may be obtained while the client is participating in WIA services and up to three quarters after exit.
For adults and dislocated workers, a credential may only be recognized if the client was enrolled in training.
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15. Recording a Credential in EFM
A credential may be recorded in the State’s Management Information System (EFM) at different times:
When an activity is closed. (For an adult or dislocated worker, this would be at closure of the training activity from which the credential resulted. For a youth, it could be at the closure of any activity.)
At program closure.
At exit.
At follow-up during the first three quarters after the exit quarter.
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16. Quiz 1
Which of the following institutions are qualified to issue certificates? Select all that apply.
A State Community College
A Registered Apprenticeship
An Employer Organization
A Public Regulatory Agency
Answer: All four institutions are qualified to issue certificates.
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17. Quiz 2
To receive a credential, a client enrolled on or after July 1, 2006 must receive a certificate.
True
False
Answer: True. Credentials must meet the same criteria as certificates.
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18. Questions or Additional Information
Isabelle Potts Government Operations Consultant II (850)
Corey McCaster Government Operations Consultant II (850)
If you have any questions or for additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our WIA policy and technical assistance staff.
Thank you.
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