B´ÎÔª is one of the 18 institutions within the Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA), a collaborative of Southeastern Wisconsin public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities and a network of community and economic development partners. Dr. John Walz, B´ÎÔª president and HERA member, played an influential role in the development of a new microcredential portal, the collaborative’s latest effort to help upskill talent. The new portal further supports the collaborative’s mission to close achievement gaps and educate students to become an innovative and nimble workforce that meets the needs of the region’s industries.

The new microcredential portal showcases the 18 HERA institutions’ short-term offerings in a one-stop shop to assist both students and working professionals. The user-friendly tool allows users to easily search for programs that can increase their skills and make them even more essential employees.

“When we talk to employers, one of the most persistent and urgent themes that consistently emerges is the importance of upskilling,” said Walz. “Having a wide range of skills-based credential programs is critical to our region’s competitiveness, both today and in the future. With the launch of this portal, HERA is supporting our region’s employers and their employees by making it easier to connect with programs that offer in-demand skills.”

The was developed to help address Southeastern Wisconsin employers’ need to provide new skills to their employees. The portal contains in-demand credentials to upskill current students as well as individuals who are already in the workforce or looking to make a career change. The site is regularly updated with short-term certification and badge programs across HERA institutions.

Visit to view the different programs available in HERA’s microcredential portal.