Building Bridges with Badges
A Metropolitan University's Partnership Evolution to Workforce Development through Micro-Credentialing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18060/29434Keywords:
anchor institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, micro-credentials, alternative credentials, university-community partnerships, place-based partnerships, workforce development, economic mobilityAbstract
Metropolitan universities serving rapidly growing Hispanic populations must extend educational access beyond traditional degrees. Oklahoma City's Hispanic population has grown to comprise 22% of the metropolitan area and 54% of public school enrollment, yet Hispanic adults hold bachelor's degrees at significantly lower rates than the general population. While universities focus on student recruitment and retention, working Hispanic adults need accessible credentials that validate competencies. Without accessible alternative credentials, Hispanic entrepreneurs face limited economic mobility, and Oklahoma underutilizes a critical workforce segment. This case study examines how the University of Central Oklahoma and the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce partnership evolved through three phases from 2013 to 2025, progressing from student recruitment to workforce development through micro-credentials formalized in September 2025. The recent partnership established three programs: credentials for Latino Leadership Oklahoma City and Women's Business Center entrepreneurship training, plus co-developed Business Fundamentals workshops in Spanish. Implementation involved collaborative curriculum development with faculty expertise, bilingual facilitation, and digital badge issuance. Success required sustained institutional commitment, embedded personnel fostering authentic collaboration, and responsive programming addressing community-identified needs. This framework offers metropolitan universities serving emerging Hispanic populations a replicable model for creating alternative credentialing pathways that advance both community workforce development and institutional Hispanic-Serving Institution trajectories.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Alyssa L. Provencio, Cami Cooper, Dr. Trevor Cox, Dr. Charlotte K. Simmons, President Todd G. Lamb, David Castillo
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