Texas Christian University is transforming student employment into career preparation
through its
Excellence in Career Skills Micro-Credentialing Program, now in its second successful
year of operation.
The program empowers student workers across eight campus departments to develop and certify essential workplace competencies through LinkedIn-ready digital badges. Students master eight core competencies aligned with National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards, including communication, critical thinking, leadership, teamwork and technology skills.
“This program bridges the gap between academic learning and workforce preparedness,” according to program leaders.
The initiative operates on semester-long cycles through the D2L platform. Student participants complete foundational competencies, engage in self-reflection exercises and tackle capstone projects that apply real-world skills directly to their campus jobs.
The program’s strength lies in its unprecedented cross-campus collaboration, spanning Athletics, Admissions, Alumni Relations, Career Services, the Chancellor’s Office, Financial Aid, Human Resources, the Office of the Registrar, Neeley Professional Development, the Provost’s Office, and additional departments. This comprehensive approach ensures skill development applicable across diverse career paths.
TCU has gained national recognition for the innovative program, with program leader Regina Middleton presenting the university’s approach at the Badge Summit Conference at the University of Colorado from July 20-23. Her presentation highlighted TCU’s unique employer-referral system, NACE integration and multi-departmental collaboration model.
The strategic initiative addresses critical workforce preparation needs by providing students with verifiable, market-relevant skills while strengthening TCU’s reputation as an innovative institution. Future enhancements include expanding departmental involvement, refining assessment methodologies and deepening employer partnerships to maximize badge recognition and career impact for graduates.
Through this transformative approach, TCU is converting work experiences into certified competencies that enhance career prospects and demonstrate the university’s commitment to student success and workforce development.
Our coalition team is now offering information sessions for supervisors of student workers to learn about the Excellence in Career Skills Digital Badge Program. Interested supervisors can sign up through Page Up. The training sessions will be held Sept. 10 and Sept. 24.