By Marni Baker-Stein, Chief Content Officer
I’m excited to announce that Coursera is partnering with Pearson to launch a new Pearson Connections Academy initiative that offers its high school students a “tri-credit” pathway to in-demand careers. Through this initiative, Pearson Connections Academy students can earn high school credit, an industry-recognized Professional Certificate, and college credit through Acadeum.
“We’re making the college and career prep experience for high school students more meaningful with new learning opportunities that set them up for post-secondary success– whether that means planning for two- or four-year college upon graduation or opting to earn job-ready credentials while in high school, or both. This is about connecting students to their unique interests and giving them the support they need to be confident about their next steps.”
– Nik Osborne, SVP of Business Development at Pearson Virtual Schools
For the first phase, Connections Academy students will have access to select entry-level Professional Certificates on Coursera, all of which are authored by leading companies and industry experts and have ACE Credit Recommendation. Students can earn college credit toward over 150 U.S. bachelor’s degrees in the Acadeum partner network for each eligible credential they complete.
- IT Support Professional Certificate from Google
- Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Professional Certificate from Google
- Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate from Meta
- Sales Ops Specialist Professional Certificate from Salesforce
These certificates, designed for people with no degree or prior work experience, will allow students to explore potential career paths and develop the skills needed to land an entry-level digital job. According to a recent Coursera survey, 86% of U.S. employers agree that earning an industry micro-credential strengthens a candidate’s job application, while 74% believe that this credential improves a candidate’s ability to perform in an entry-level position.
Perceptions of college degrees generally fall into two camps: “everybody needs a degree” or “nobody needs a degree.” But neither is true: we need more flexible, affordable, and relevant pathways for students to gain employment, earn credit, and pursue a degree. With this tri-credit initiative in partnership with Pearson and Acadeum, we’re creating multiple ways for high school students to unlock opportunity in the digital economy, whether they want to break into an in-demand career right away or continue to a college degree.