Credential Clarity Meets Human Potential: Why Colorado Career Advising’s Approach Matters in the AI Era
- Colorado Career Advising
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
In June, the Burning Glass Institute launched the Credential Value Index—a groundbreaking tool that brings much-needed clarity to the Wild West of non-degree credentials (NDCs). With over 1.1 million postsecondary credentials on the market, it's a sea of options that often leaves learners and workers unsure which investments will actually pay off.
What the Index reveals is sobering: only about 1 in 8 credential earners see meaningful wage gains that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. That stark data point highlights a critical reality: not all credentials are created equal, and the promise of a fast, affordable career boost can often fall flat without transparency and guidance.
But this is just the beginning. The Credential Value Index is more than a tool—it’s a signal of the future of education and work, one where data-driven decision-making empowers learners to choose wisely.
At Colorado Career Advising, we celebrate this development—and we see an opportunity to go even further.
Why Credentials Alone Aren’t Enough
Credentials may open doors, but they don’t tell the whole story of who you are. A certificate might show what you can do—but not why, how, or in which environments you’ll thrive. In a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence, human strengths like creativity, empathy, adaptability, and self-awareness are becoming more valuable than ever.
That’s where Colorado Career Advising comes in.
Our mission is to empower learners to “know themselves” first, using our comprehensive assessments rooted in the four Colorado Career Advising Tool Sciences: DISC Behaviors, Motivators, 21st-Century Skills, and Social-Emotional Perceptions. Through tools like the Colorado Career Advising Tool, our work supports thousands of students and adults across the state, helping them connect the dots between their unique strengths and viable career paths.
Bridging the Gap: Colorado Career Advising Tool and the Credential Value Index
Imagine combining the power of the Credential Value Index—data on real-world credential outcomes—with CCA Tool’s personalized career insights. Now learners aren’t just asking “Which program leads to higher wages?” but also “Does this path align with who I am?”
This combination is what we call Career Clarity 2.0. And it’s what’s urgently needed in an AI-shaped future where traditional credentials may be automated, but human purpose cannot be replaced.
Tools for the Future
Colorado is already leading the charge. Our partnership with the state’s Department of Education integrates real-time training data (ETPL, CDIP, Apprenticeships) into the CCA Tool, helping users find funded, high-demand credentials that match their personality and strengths.
And with the new Skills Activity Resource, learners can build durable skills like communication and decision-making—assets that transcend any one job or degree.
As we integrate frameworks like the modernized Career Clusters® from Advance CTE, we’re ensuring that both education and industry can speak a shared language of skills, pathways, and purpose.
Final Thought
As AI accelerates, the question isn’t just “What can I do?”—it’s “Who am I becoming?” The Credential Value Index gives us the data. The Colorado Career Advising Tool gives us the direction.
Together, they offer a roadmap not just for economic mobility—but for human flourishing in a world that desperately needs it.
This blog is a rebranded version of “Credential Clarity Meets Human Potential: Why Indigo’s Approach Matters in the AI Era," originally published by Indigo Education Company and now adapted for Colorado Career Advising. For questions, contact us at info@coloradocareeradvising.com.