Heather Sherburn is a retired CA K-12 Assistant Superintendent and the Academic Officer at SchoolDay Academy.
If there’s one lesson I’ve learned over more than three decades in public education, it’s that we should never lose sight of the end goal. Whether we’re adopting new technology, redesigning curriculum, or expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE), the question isn’t, “How many credentials can our students earn?” It’s, “How well are we preparing them for life after high school?”
That’s why I believe the conversation around industry certifications needs a shift in perspective.
The goal isn’t for students to collect badges or stack certificates. The goal is to help them graduate with the knowledge, confidence, and habits they need to thrive in college, careers, and an economy that will continue to evolve throughout their lives.
When thoughtfully integrated into a high-quality CTE program, industry-recognized certifications can be an important part of that broader mission.
Career Readiness Means Preparing Students to Keep Learning
The workforce our students will enter is changing rapidly. The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 40% of workers’ core skills will change by 2030, driven largely by advances in technology and artificial intelligence. Preparing students for that future means helping them become lifelong learners who are comfortable acquiring new skills throughout their careers.
Industry certifications and professional certificates can support that mindset. Students aren’t simply completing assignments for a grade—they’re taking ownership of learning that has relevance beyond the classroom and building confidence in their ability to master new concepts independently.
Credentials Can Open Doors
The value of an industry certification isn’t the credential itself—it’s the opportunities that can follow.
Students who complete industry-aligned learning often become stronger candidates for internships, apprenticeships, and other work-based learning experiences because they have demonstrated initiative and developed foundational knowledge before entering the workplace. Employers gain confidence that these students are motivated and prepared to contribute while continuing to learn.
Research from the Association for Career and Technical Education and others has consistently shown that high-quality CTE programs improve student engagement while helping learners make clearer connections between classroom instruction and future careers. For many students, those early experiences become stepping stones to employment or help them stand out when applying to colleges, internships, and scholarships.
Stronger Students Build Stronger Employer Partnerships
Districts across the country are working to expand career-connected learning, but employer participation depends on trust. Businesses are more likely to offer internships and collaborate with schools when they see students arriving with relevant skills and a demonstrated commitment to learning.
Industry-recognized credentials can help foster those partnerships by providing evidence that students are developing competencies aligned with workforce expectations. According to surveys from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers consistently rank problem-solving, communication, teamwork, initiative, and technology skills among the qualities they seek in early-career talent. Certifications paired with hands-on learning can help students begin developing that complete skill set.
The Real Goal: Lifelong Learners
The strongest CTE programs combine rigorous academics, hands-on projects, employer engagement, work-based learning, and industry-recognized credentials into a cohesive experience.
More importantly, they help students develop something even more valuable than a certificate: the confidence to become self-directed learners. In a world where technology and careers are constantly evolving, students who know how to seek out knowledge, build new skills, and adapt to change will be best positioned for long-term success.
That’s why I believe we should measure success not by the number of credentials students earn, but by whether we’re equipping them with the curiosity and capability to keep learning long after they leave high school.
Looking Ahead
As district leaders evaluate their CTE strategies, I encourage them to ask a different question. Rather than focusing solely on “What credentials are our students earning?” consider asking, “Are we helping our students become adaptable, self-directed learners who are prepared to navigate a lifetime of change?”
Throughout my career in education, I’ve believed our greatest responsibility is not simply to prepare students for their first job or their first year of college. It’s to equip them with the mindset and confidence to keep learning, growing, and creating opportunities for themselves long after they leave our schools.
That’s one of the reasons I’m passionate about the work we’re doing at SchoolDay Academy. Our customizable CTE Pathways, powered by Coursera, give districts the flexibility to integrate industry-recognized learning in ways that complement—not replace—the excellent programs they already have. Pathways can be tailored to local priorities, used in whole or in part, delivered asynchronously or through blended instruction, and completed over four years of high school or accelerated into a single year.
Students gain access to continually updated curriculum from leading employers and institutions—including Google, Microsoft, Keller Williams, Palo Alto Networks, Meta, the University of Michigan, the University of Arizona, Packt, MedCerts, SAP, IBM, Goldman Sachs, Intuit, and many more—while building the habits of initiative and self-directed learning that will serve them for years to come.
Whether districts choose to use resources like these or pursue another path entirely, my hope is that we continue to keep the focus where it belongs: on helping students become lifelong learners who are ready for whatever the future holds.
If you’re exploring new ways to strengthen career readiness or modernize your CTE offerings, I’d be happy to share ideas and learn about your district’s goals. Feel free to reach out to me at Heather@SchoolDay.com.