Why industry credentials hold the key to solving the engineering skills gap
The engineering skills gap is growing wider by the day, and the consequences are more serious than just delayed hires. For manufacturers, this gap creates bottlenecks that stall innovation, slow down scaling efforts and hinder strategic business goals.
But while many companies scramble to fill positions or struggle with underqualified teams, others are finding a smarter way forward: industry credentials designed to meet the exact needs of today’s engineering roles.
Watch this video to learn how Expedite – Skills for Industry from Siemens helps early-career engineers hit the ground running in industry
The cost of the status quo
Every day you operate without the right talent in place, the ripple effects stack up. Delayed projects become missed opportunities. Without the technical expertise to keep pace, innovation can slow down or completely freeze. Team morale dips, and it becomes harder to execute even the simplest initiatives.
Traditional engineering talent pipelines aren’t keeping up. Universities often lag behind when it comes to teaching modern tech skills. On-the-job training, while valuable, takes too long to deliver results. Meanwhile, competing with tech giants for top-tier engineers can often be a losing battle for manufacturers.
The gap keeps widening, leaving businesses with a workforce that falls short of what’s needed to move forward confidently.
Credentials bridge the gap between traditional engineering degrees and practical engineering challenges
With credentials, learners don’t just study concepts. They work with the actual technologies driving modern manufacturing: product lifecycle management, AI applications, digital twins, the Internet of Things (IoT) and sustainable engineering practices.
Students can develop both the digital mindset and the digital skill set needed to be an effective engineer from day one, including critical capabilities like cross-disciplinary collaboration and project management.
Accessible, verifiable, career-accelerating
Credentials also support the evolving way students and working engineers learn today. Many credentials are self-paced and delivered through Coursera, meaning your team can upskill without disrupting operations.
Upon completion, learners receive a verifiable digital badge they can display on LinkedIn, portfolios and professional profiles. This visibility signals that this person has validated, job-ready skills.
Even better? Through Credly’s Talent Directory, credentialed engineers become discoverable to employers actively searching for their specific skill blend. For your organization, this means the talent you develop becomes a magnet for future opportunities and a retention tool when employees see clear career progression.
“Credentials like Expedite – Skills for Industry send a signal to potential employers that a student is willing to do the things that are necessary to make them the most value-added engineer to those organizations… …it’s an objective verification that you have mastered this body of knowledge.”
Dr. Craig Downing, Head of the Department of Engineering Management, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Explore how your organization can build stronger engineering talent pipelines with credentials
SAE International projects that one in three engineering roles will go unfilled through 2030, while the World Economic Forum reports that 40% of core job skills will change every five years.
Forward-thinking manufacturers are solving this challenge with credentialing programs that develop engineers with the exact digital skills and mindset today’s roles demand. Download our e-book on Addressing the engineering skills gap with credentials to learn more.
