2024 was a pivotal year for digital credentials, marking a transformative period in how learners learn, grow, and showcase their skills. At Accredible, we witnessed an extraordinary surge in credentialed learning — from traditional to alternative pathways — with our customers leading the charge in making it more accessible, verifiable, and connected to career outcomes.
We also saw digital credentials evolve from a nice-to-have to a must-have. Organizations and learners alike recognize that as learning and work continue to become more integrated, the ability to quickly acquire, demonstrate, and share skills is paramount.
Our 2024 State of Credentialing revealed that 96% of learners who earned a digital credential consider it valuable for their career, and 78% believe it increases their chances of getting a job offer. Verifiable proof of skills has truly become the new currency.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into what we accomplished together in 2024*.
Accredible customers issued 36 million digital credentials in 2024, a remarkable 45% increase from the previous year. And with the 2024 growth, we also crossed 125 million total credentials issued — representing the largest network of verifiable digital credentials globally.
These milestones aren’t just eye-popping numbers. They represent 125 million moments of personal and professional achievement that are now verifiable and shareable, enabling learners to confidently translate them into future opportunities.
8.6 million learners earned digital credentials through the Accredible platform in 2024, marking a 45% year-over-year growth. We've surpassed 25 million total learners — equivalent to nearly the entire population of Australia leveling up their careers! Each learner represents a story of ambition, skill development, and professional transformation.
Our customers launched an incredible 101,000 new credentialed courses in 2024, up 26.5% from the previous year. That translates to 277 new courses every single day — a testament to the dedication of education and training leaders who spend countless hours developing curricula and resources. These courses span technical training, professional development, and emerging skill areas, addressing the rapidly evolving job market.
Across 77,000 CourseFinder.io visits, learners showed a clear focus on future-ready skills when searching for courses.
- Data Science
- Python
- Excel
- Graphic Design
- Project Management
- Java
- SQL
- Digital Marketing
- Cybersecurity
- AI
This list reflects the growing demand for technical skills, with data-related and coding courses topping the chart, alongside crucial soft skills like project management.
In 2024, learners mastered a blend of durable and technical skills:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Management
- Technology Application
- Project Management
- Critical Thinking
- Teamwork
- Coaching
- Decision Making
These skills represent the perfect recipe for modern workplace success, combining technical prowess with essential interpersonal capabilities.
Credential engagement increased 31.8% year-over-year. Learners aren't passively receiving credentials — they're actively downloading, adding to resumes, and sharing across professional networks. Digital credentials have become the ultimate career currency and program awareness channel.
Certainly, the launch of our Email Campaigns functionality went a long way in helping organizations increase credential open and share rates. George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies, for example, saw its LinkedIn profile add rate increase by 130% and its LinkedIn share rate increase by over 580% after implementing Email Campaigns.
With 1.6 billion monthly visitors, LinkedIn remains the primary sharing platform, but credentials are sparking global conversations:
- LinkedIn (via Licenses & Certifications profile add)
- LinkedIn (via newsfeed)
- Email Signature
When learners share their digital credentials, peers see, get inspired, and enroll — turning achievements into organic marketing channels for your program. We call this a Credential Flywheel. In 2024, we tracked 671,000 credential referrals back to our customers’ programs — a 26% year-over-year increase.
MIT Professional Education saw this firsthand hitting a 127% credential referral rate, meaning that for every credential shared online, 1.27 referrals come to its program pages. As Assistant Director of Marketing and Business Development at MIT Professional Education, Myriam Joseph, shared, “We worked with Accredible to add tracking to all of these actions so that we can measure them. And we were able to see how many new people came in through Accredible and entered our lead pipeline so we could nurture those learners."
As revealed in our 2024 State of Credentialing report, 84% of learners want to be listed in an online directory of credential holders. Learners gain visibility and connection to future opportunities, while organizations build a community of certified professionals. It’s a win-win.
Using Accredible’s Spotlight feature, we saw 300,000 credentialed learners spotlighted with 6 million views of their profiles. By spotlighting learners, organizations are truly turning credentials into career launchpads — connecting them with professional visibility and potential.
Today’s learners want flexibility and affordability. The 2024 State of Credentialing report found that 97% of learners want a series of linked modules (e.g., courses or microcredentials) to help them master a topic. So it’s no surprise that we’ve seen 1.1 million learners enroll in learning pathways across Accredible’s Pathways functionality.
The rapid growth is a testament to the growing recognition that visualizing the learning journey and awarding digital credentials along the way increases learner retention and application. These pathways don't just provide clear routes for skill development; they encourage learners to keep progressing and reward them for staying the course.
In 2024, we saw impressive growth and results across our 2,300 customers — from organizations just getting started with digital credentials and developing their credential frameworks to globally recognized certification programs hitting new milestones. So, who were the top credential issuers of 2024? Drum roll, please!
- Skillsoft (2X Honoree)
- Google (2X Honoree)
- Ascend Learning
- PADI (the Professional Association of Diving Instructors)
- CFA Institute
- Corporate Finance Institute (2X Honoree)
- City & Guilds
- British Council (2X Honoree)
- McGraw Hill (2X Honoree)
- Trinity College London (2X Honoree)
These ten exceptional organizations have validated skills and achievements for millions of learners worldwide. By issuing career-advancing digital credentials, these organizations are bridging the gap between education and employment, enabling learners to showcase their professional capabilities. Congrats to this year’s honorees!
Based on issuing volume, here are our top Accredible integrations of 2024 — helping connect learning and digital credentials that address critical workforce skills needs.
- Zapier
- Canvas
- Moodle
- Kryterion
- LearnDash
- Salesforce
- D2L Brightspace
- Skilljar
- Zoom
- WordPress
By integrating Accredible with LMS, testing, CRM, and other critical systems, organizations can deliver a unified experience for learners and streamline the credentialing process.
First and foremost, none of these milestones — and more importantly, the transformative impact on learning and social and economic mobility — would be possible without the hard work of our incredible customers and partners. Your commitment to empowering learners, bridging skills gaps, and driving professional development continues to inspire us.
To our Accredible team: thank you for your relentless dedication. Your hard work in helping customers scale their programs and delivering product innovations has been instrumental in our success. We launched industry-leading features including Email Campaigns, enhanced credential design options, strengthened security, and expanded integrations to help our customers achieve these remarkable milestones and learners achieve their career goals.
So, what’s in store for credentialing in 2025? I’m glad you asked. We asked some of the brightest minds in credentialing to consult their crystal balls and share their vision for 2025 in our "The Future of Credentials: 2025 and Beyond" blog post. Check it out and upvote your favorite predictions.
*Accredible digital credential platform data from January 1, 2024 - November 15, 2024.
