Answer
Click the questions below to get answers to your NWTC Badging questions! If you need further assistance, email microcred@nwtc.edu.
- Important: Keep Access to Your Badges After You Leave NWTC
- How do I access my badge?
- How do I know what my NWTC email address is?
- What if I lose access to Canvas and have not claimed my badge?
- What is Parchment Digital Credentials?
- How do I earn a badge or micro credential?
- Do I have to apply for my badge?
- Where will I see my badge?
- Is my badge official?
- How can I use my badge?
- Will my badge expire?
- Can I earn more than one badge?
- Do badges and micro credentials count toward a certificate or degree?
- Is a badge the same as a certificate?
- What happens to my badges after I graduate?
- Do employers recognize digital badges?
- What if I think I should have earned a badge but did not receive one?
- Is there a cost to receive or share my badge?
1. Important: Keep Access to Your Badges After You Leave NWTC
Parchment Digital Credentials accounts are created using your NWTC student email address.
If you want to keep long-term access to your badges and micro credentials after you graduate or leave NWTC, you must update your Parchment Digital Credentials account to use a personal (non-NWTC) email address.
If you do not update your email:
- You may lose access to your badge account after your NWTC email is deactivated.
- You may not be able to share or verify your credentials later.
2. How do I access my badge
When you earn a badge or micro credential, it is issued through Parchment Digital Credentials and linked to your NWTC email address (firstname.lastname@mymail.nwtc.edu), even if you are a non-credit student.
Many students do not realize that NWTC automatically creates an NWTC email account for all learners, including non-credit students.
To access your badge:
- Watch for an email notification that your badge has been issued (This email is sent to your NWTC email address).
- Click the link in the email to view your badge, or
- Log in to Parchment Digital Credentials using your NWTC email address.
Once logged in, you can view, download, and share your badge from your dashboard.
Important Notes for Non-Credit Students
- You have an NWTC email address, even if you never use it regularly.
- Badge notifications are sent to that NWTC email by default.
- You should update your Parchment Digital Credentials account to a personal email address to ensure long-term access.
3. How do I know what my NWTC email address is?
Please contact the Student Helpdesk for help with email - IT Help Desk for Students - Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Important Reminder
To keep access to your badges after leaving NWTC, update your Parchment Digital Credentials account with a personal email address. If your NWTC email is deactivated and your email is not updated, you may lose access to your badge account.
4. What if I lose access to Canvas and have not claimed my badge?
If you did not access or claim your badge before losing access to Canvas or your NWTC email, you may still be able to recover it, but it is not guaranteed.
Badges are issued to the NWTC email address on file at the time they were awarded. If that email is no longer active and you did not update your Canvas Credentials account to a personal email, access may be limited.
If this happens:
- Contact NWTC and explain that you previously earned a badge or micro credential.
- Be prepared to provide identifying information (such as your name, course, and approximate completion date).
- NWTC staff will determine whether your badge can be reissued or access restored.
Recovery depends on record availability and system limitations.
How to Avoid This Situation
To ensure lifetime access to your badges:
- Log in to Canvas Credentials as soon as you receive your first badge.
- Update your account to a personal email address.
- Confirm the email change when prompted.
Taking this step ensures you can access, share, and verify your credentials even years later.
5. What is Parchment Digital Credentials?
Parchment Digital Credentials is the platform NWTC uses to issue, manage, and share digital badges and micro credentials. It provides official, verifiable proof of the skills you have earned.
6. How do I earn a badge or micro credential?
You earn a badge or micro credential by successfully completing the required course, activity, or assessment and meeting the defined criteria (for example, a final grade of C or better).
Once your grade is entered in Canvas, the badge or micro credential is issued automatically.
7. Do I have to apply for my badge?
No.
If your course or learning experience is set up to issue a badge or micro credential, it will be automatically awarded when you meet the requirements.
8. Where will I see my badge?
You will receive:
- A notification email when your badge is issued.
- Access to your badge through your Parchment Digital Credentials account.
From there, you can view, download, or share it.
9. Is my badge official?
Yes.
Badges issued through Parchment Digital Credentials are:
- Verified by NWTC
- Include metadata such as skills, criteria, and issuer
- Shareable with employers and third parties
10. How can I use my badge?
You can:
- Share it on LinkedIn.com
- Add it to your resume
- Include it in an ePortfolio
- Send a verification link to employers
Each badge includes proof of what you did to earn it.
11. Will my badge expire?
Most badges do not expire, unless explicitly stated.
If a badge does have an expiration or renewal requirement, that information will be clearly listed on the badge.
12. Can I earn more than one badge?
Yes.
You can earn as many badges and micro credentials as you like, across different courses and learning experiences.
13. Do badges and micro credentials count toward a certificate or degree?
Some do.
- Badges may stack into micro credentials
- Micro credentials may stack into certificates or degrees
- Not all badges automatically count for credit
Your instructor or advisor can help you understand how a specific badge fits into your academic pathway.
14. Is a badge the same as a certificate?
No.
A badge or micro credential is not a certificate. They are smaller, focused credentials designed to recognize specific skills, while certificates represent broader programs of study.
15. What happens to my badges after I graduate?
You retain access to your badges even after you leave NWTC.
Parchment Digital Credentials allows you to maintain and share your earned credentials long-term.
16. Do employers recognize digital badges?
Yes.
Many employers value digital badges because they:
- Clearly describe skills
- Are verifiable
- Show evidence of learning and assessment
Badges often communicate skills more clearly than course titles alone.
17. What if I think I should have earned a badge but did not receive one?
First, confirm that:
- Your final grade is entered in Canvas
- You met the required criteria
If you still do not see your badge, contact your instructor or the appropriate NWTC support office.
18. Is there a cost to receive or share my badge?
No.
There is no cost to receive, keep, or share your badges and micro credentials.
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