Industry-Recognized Credentials
In high school, students should see the relevance of their learning, be exposed to practical, real-world work settings and begin defining their futures. Career-focused learning can inspire students to identify their paths to future success.
Additional information can be found within the Industry-Recognized Credentials Guide.
A full list of credentials with Education Management Information System (EMIS) Assessment Area Codes, career fields, and point values can be found here.
Historical credential lists going back to Fiscal Year 2018 can be found here. Any questions about credential availability in past years can be directed to the Industry Credentials Team.
What’s in it for students?
The process of earning an industry-recognized credential allows students to experience education through work, about work and for work. Students learn more deeply by practicing and applying their knowledge through work and employment experiences – learning through work. They learn about workplace expectations in terms of professional skills needed for employment, as well as learning about career pathways and what the labor market for particular occupations looks like – learning about work. They also learn job-specific skills they will need to perform day-to-day tasks – learning for work.
What’s in it for schools?
Connecting students to opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials puts them on a pathway to success after high school. Preparing students for their best possible future is the greatest goal of schools, and credentials can help achieve this.
Schools also receive credit in the Prepared for Success measure on the report card for students who earn 12 points of approved industry-recognized credentials or groups of credentials from the Department's list. Schools further benefit and contribute to Ohio’s shared goal by setting their students up for a transition beyond high school and into the workforce. Industry-recognized credentials are an innovative approach to truly recognize and account for a student’s hard work in becoming career-ready and prepared for their best possible future.
Teachers can also upskill through Ohio's TechCred program.
What’s in it for businesses and communities?
Finding, hiring and retaining high-quality employees is a monumental task. Industry-recognized credentials help employers validate the knowledge and skills of potential employees and saves valuable time in assessing the competency of job applicants. Industry partners play an integral role in how the list is formed and validated to ensure that students are earning credentials that Ohio's industries value.
Funding changes for Fiscal Year 2026 and beyond
For the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, $16 million per year was appropriated exclusively for incentive payments, which is now incentivized at $725 per credential earned from the IWIP-approved list. This shift reflects the state’s strategic focus on high-demand, high-value credentials that support workforce development and readiness in sectors such as IT, advanced manufacturing, and skilled trades.
established Ohio’s state operating appropriations for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. In response to several years of prorated reimbursements and incentive payments, and to better prioritize credentials aligned with IWIP, the bill eliminates funding for standard credential reimbursements beginning in school year 2025-2026 for credentials earned during the 2024–2025 school year.
Please direct any questions to the team.
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Last Modified: 1/30/2026 12:05:26 PM