---
title: National Healthcareer Association Releases 'Credentials That Work'
description: "Credentials That Work: Delivering Quality and Real Economic Opportunity in the Healthcare Workforce outlines NHA’s practical framework for distinguishing credentials that deliver real workforce value."
image: https://info.nhanow.com/hubfs/nha-credentials-that-work-feature-image.jpg
---
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# NHA News Center
# National Healthcareer Association Releases 'Credentials That Work'
Posted by [National Healthcareer Association](https://info.nhanow.com/mediacenter/author/national-healthcareer-association) on October 2026
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## New Framework Helps Employers and Policymakers Identify Credentials That Deliver Workforce Value
**LEAWOOD, KS** – The [National Healthcareer Association (NHA)](https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/www.nhanow.com/___.YzJ1OmFzY2VuZGxlYXJuaW5nMTpjOm9mZmljZTM2NV9lbWFpbHNfYXR0YWNobWVudDowYjg3NWQ2OWNiZmE3ZTBkYjgxZTQyMTMxMDg0ODY1NTo3OjY5MTk6ZWY2OTkyNmU3Yzc5MmE3ZTg3OWFkN2ZjY2I2ODRlYzhmMWVlOTI0NjE4ODFiNzY2Njc4MGY5MjY1NTY0ZTZkYzpwOlQ6VA), an Ascend Learning brand, has recently released *Credentials That Work: Delivering Quality and Real Economic Opportunity in the Healthcare Workforce*. The paper outlines NHA’s practical framework for distinguishing credentials that deliver real workforce value from those that do not, helping policymakers, employers, and educators evaluate investments in healthcare workforce development.
Identifying which credentials strengthen healthcare talent pipelines and connect learners to in-demand jobs that support long-term economic mobility has rightly become an area of focus for many federal and state policymakers. When evaluating investments in credentialing systems and allied health training programs, NHA’s framework argues that investments should prioritize credentials that are accredited, developed with direct employer input, grounded in rigorous standards, and validated with data to ensure they lead to meaningful outcomes, including employment, job performance, and career mobility.
"Healthcare credentials should be more than a piece of paper,” said Kathy Hunter, Category Leader of the National Healthcareer Association. “They should signal workforce readiness, earn employer confidence, and create opportunities for lifelong career advancement. Allied health credential quality is not only a workforce issue, but also a patient-care issue. As policymakers continue investing in workforce development, we need to focus on credentials that produce real outcomes for learners, employers, and patients. That's why NHA is advancing a simple idea: the credentials that matter most are the credentials that work."
The framework is designed to help employers, educators, and policymakers distinguish credentials that signal workforce readiness from those that may not consistently deliver meaningful workforce outcomes. By identifying characteristics associated with high-quality credentials, the framework aims to strengthen talent pipelines while supporting safe, high-quality patient care.
When evaluating credentials, NHA recommends policymakers and employers focus on offerings that are:
- **Trusted:** Credentials should be externally validated, technically rigorous, and recognized as reliable indicators of job readiness and workforce competence from day one.
- **Within Reach:** Credentials should be affordable, flexible, and broadly accessible through multiple pathways, including Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, dual enrollment, employer-sponsored training, apprenticeships, and early-college models.
- **Career-Building:** Credentials should be stackable, portable across employers and settings, and open opportunities for additional education or new roles and responsibilities.
- **Employer-Validated:** Credentials should be informed by employer needs to ensure consistent and trusted measures of competency for credential holders and improved operational efficiency for healthcare employers.
**As the framework concludes: "The credentials that matter most are the ones learners can earn, employers can trust, and workers can build careers on."**
To read the full *Credentials That Work* framework and explore NHA’s recommendations for policymakers, employers, and educators, [click here](https://info.nhanow.com/hubfs/Marketing/Press%20Releases/NHA%20COV%20Issue%20Brief%20FINAL.pdf).
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## Contact
For media inquiries, please contact Bret Silverberg at [bret.silverberg@ascendlearning.com](mailto:bret.silverberg@ascendlearning.com)
## NHA Mission Statement
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## NHA Vision Statement
As the industry leader, we are passionately committed to develop, advance and advocate for the frontline healthcare worker, resulting in improved patient care.
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