What Are and What Do Digital Credentials Mean for Event and Meeting Pros?

ByTammy Moore, CMP, CMM

Many event and meeting planners are familiar with the alphabet soup of acronyms, like CMP and CSEP, that are part of their industry peers’ titles or displayed on LinkedIn profiles.

Certification programs like these are a written assurance by a third party of the conformity of a product, process, or service to specified requirements. In the case of CMP (Certified Meeting Professional), certification qualifications are based on professional experience, education, and a rigorous exam. According to the Events Industry Council, “earning a CMP is a mark of excellence in comprehensive events management.”

However, certification programs aren’t the only options for event and meeting pros to demonstrate ongoing learning or new skill achievement.

Defining Digital Credentials

There is another category for learners called digital credentials (also called micro-credentials), found across every industry.

In the event and meeting environment, a digital credential generally serves as proof that a person has taken a professional development course and demonstrated understanding of a set of related skills or competencies. Students or those just starting in their careers also find digital credentials beneficial to show the acquisition of specific career-related skills or competencies.

One benefit of digital credentials is that they transform skills, knowledge, and abilities into a common, verified language. And during times like these when so much new learning is taking place, digital credentials provide a way for planners to showcase steps they’ve taken to upskill their knowledge.

How are Digital Crendtials Earned?

There are several different ways digital credentials are earned. At ELI, digital credentials from our professional development courses are awarded to individuals who prove competency in a specific subject through tracked course work, which includes completing a proctored exam.

ELI’s proctored exams for professional development courses all take place online. Other organizations or credentials may require participants to complete in-person exams at physical test centers.

After successfully completing the required coursework, exam, or any other specific requirements by the digital credential provider, learners receive a digital completion certificate.

Using Digital Credentials

Think about any diploma you’ve received: is it sitting on a dusty shelf or tucked in a box? And how do you share it or send it to others who need verification about your education?

Because of challenges like these, adding digital credentials to an online presence or resume is rapidly on the rise. After all, one reason why many professionals, including event and meeting planners, participate in digital certification professional development programs is to elevate their professional expertise.

Since sharing achievements and new skills is top-of-mind for many, there are now platforms that make it easy for recipients to share digital credentials on their social profiles, on resumes, or in email signatures. At ELI, we use Credly’s Acclaim platform, a leading digital provider.

Adding digital credentials to online profiles has several benefits:

  • Displayed digital credentials provide a highly visual indicator of achievement – standing out from text-heavy online profiles or resumes
  • Unique skillsets are easily highlighted – giving planners an edge to differentiate their skills to potential clients, prospective employers, or industry peers
  • Anyone who clicks on a digital credential is taken to a secure page, which lists the person’s name, the date it was earned, the coursework studied, and what it qualifies them to do – streamlining the verification process

With third-party verification and the ability to easily share, digital credentials are changing the way learners demonstrate efforts to keep skills current and adapt to the new climate.

Ready to build on your skillset and master the fundamentals of planning a virtual event? Or starting to think about preparing for the return of modified in-person events?

ELI has two new digital certification courses beginning soon: Virtual & Event Meeting Management and Pandemic Meeting & Event Design!

Join the 1,700+ (and growing!) who have received their digital certifications in the last six months!