The NC Workforce Credentials Advisory Council is identifying priority non-degree credentials that are valued by employers and put those who earn them on a path to a sustainable wage career. Click on the list to see these industry-valued credentials.
Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
Canine Care and Training Program (CCTP) | Essential | Continental Kennel Club |
Certified Horsemanship | Essential | Certified Horsemanship Association |
Equine Management and Evaluation Certification | Essential | Elanco |
Small Engine Repair | Essential | Briggs and Stratton |
NC Pesticide Applicator | Essential | NCDA&CS |
Certified Veterinary Assistant | Career | Texas Veterinary Medical Association |
Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
Certified Bookkeeper | Essential | American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers |
Microsoft Office Specialist 2016 or above Access | Essential | Microsoft |
Microsoft Office Specialist 2016 or above Excel Core | Essential | Microsoft |
Microsoft Office Specialist 2016 or above Excel Expert | Essential | Microsoft |
HRCI Associate Professional in Human Resources® (aPHR®) | Career | HR Certification Institute |
NC: Casualty Agent | Career | NC Department of Insurance |
NC: Health Insurance Agent | Career | NC Department of Insurance |
NC: Life Insurance Agent | Career | NC Department of Insurance |
Paralegal Certification | Career | NC State Bar |
NC: Property Agent | Career | NC Department of Insurance |
NC: Real Estate License | Career | NC Real Estate Commission |

Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
AWS SENSE - Thermal Cutting Process | Essential | American Welding Society (AWS) |
AWS SENSE- Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) | Essential | American Welding Society (AWS) |
AWS SENSE- Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) | Essential | American Welding Society (AWS) |
AWS SENSE- Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) | Essential | American Welding Society (AWS) |
Section 608 Technician Certification | Essential | State Board of Refrigeration Contractors |
ESCO Employment Ready: Duct and Envelope Testing | Essential | ESCO Group |
ESCO Employment Ready: Air Conditioning | Essential | ESCO Group |
ESCO Employment Ready: Heat Pump | Essential | ESCO Group |
ESCO Employment Ready: HVAC Electrical | Essential | ESCO Group |
ESCO Employment Ready: Basic Refrigeration and Charging Procedures | Essential | ESCO Group |
Universal R-410a Certification | Essential | Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
Apprenticeship - Carpentry | Career | ApprenticeshipNC |
Apprenticeship - HVAC Construction | Career | ApprenticeshipNC |
Apprenticeship - Plumbing | Career | ApprenticeshipNC |
Apprenticeship - Welding | Career | ApprenticeshipNC |
Apprenticeship - Cabinet Maker | Career | NC Department of Labor |
NCCER Heavy Equipment Operations Level I, II, III | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
NCCER Carpentry Level I, II, III | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
NCCER Electrical Level I, II, III | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
NCCER HVAC Level I, II, III | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
NCCER Masonry Level I, II, III | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
NCCER Plumbing Level I, II, III | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
NCCER Concrete Finisher | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
AWS Certified Welder | Career | American Welding Society |
NCCER Welding Level I, II, III | Career | National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) |
WCA Sawblade Certificate | Career | Woodwork Career Alliance (WCA) |
*This sector is being analyzed and will be added soon. |
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Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
Wastewater Operator Certification Level I, II, III, IV | Career | NC Department of Environmental Quality |

Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
NC: Pharmacy Technician Certification | Essential | NC Pharmacy Technician Certification Board |
AAPC Certified Professional Coder CPC® | Essential | American Academy of Professional Coders |
NHA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) | Essential | National Healthcareer Association |
NC: Nurse Aide I & II | Essential | N.C. Division of Health Service Regulation |
ASPT Patient Care Technician | Essential | American Society of Phlebotomy Technician |
NHA Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) | Essential | National Healthcareer Association |
NHA Certified Billing & Coding Specialist (CBCS) | Essential | National Healthcareer Association |
Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician | Essential | American Academy of Professional Coders |
AHiMA Certified Coding Associate (CCA®) | Career | American Health Information Management Association |
Certified Registered Central Service Technician | Career | International Association of Healthcare Central Service Mat |
ARRT Mammography | Career | American Registry of Radiologic Technologists |
Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist | Career | NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy |
NAHAM Certified Healthcare Access Manager (CHAM) | Career | National Association of Healthcare Access Management |
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) | Career | Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel (JCAHPO) |
CCI Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) | Career | Cardiovascular Credentialing International |
AHDI Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS) | Career | Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity |
AMT Medical Assistant (RMA) | Career | American Medical Technologists |
Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician | Career | Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution |
Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
NIMS Milling I | Essential | National Institute for Metalworking Skills |
Certified Logistics Technician | Essential | Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) |
NIMS Job Planning, Benchmark, and Layout | Essential | National Institute for Metalworking Skills |
NIMS Machining Level I -Measurement, Materials, and Safety Certifications | Essential | National Institute for Metalworking Skills |
NIMS Maintenance Operations | Essential | National Institute for Metalworking Skills |
Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA) | Essential | SolidWorks |
ETA Associate Certified Electronics Technician (CETa) | Essential | Electronics Technician Association |
Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) | Essential | Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association (RETA) |
PMMI Mechatronics - Industrial Electricity I | Career | Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies |
Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) | Career | SolidWorks |
Electrical Lineworker | Career | Carolinas Energy Workforce Consortium |
Certified Production Technician 4.0 (CPT 4.0) | Career | Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) |
NC Furniture Academy | Career | NC Furniture Academy |
MSI Manufacturing Technician Level I (MT1) | Career | Manufacturing Skills Institute |
PMMI Mechatronics - Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) I | Career | Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies |
Apprenticeship - Maintenance Mechanic | Career | ApprenticeshipNC |
Autodesk Certified Professional Inventor | Career | Autodesk or Certiport |
Autodesk Certified Professional Revit | Career | Autodesk or Certiport |
Autodesk Certified User AutoCAD | Career | Autodesk or Certiport |
Autodesk Certified User Inventor | Career | Autodesk or Certiport |
Autodesk Certified User Revit | Career | Autodesk or Certiport |
Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician | Career | American National Standards Institute |
Certified Industrial Refrigeration Operator (CIRO) | Career | Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association (RETA) |
Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
Intuit QuickBooks Certified User | Essential | Certiport/Peason Vue |
Linux Essentials | Essential | Linux Professional Institute (LPI) |
Certified Ethical Hacker | Essential | E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) |
CompTIA Project+ | Essential | Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) |
Cisco Certified Cyber Ops Associate | Essential | Cisco Systems, Inc. |
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) | Essential | Cisco Systems, Inc. |
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) | Essential | Cisco Systems, Inc. |
CompTIA CySA+ | Essential | Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) |
CompTIA Linux+ | Essential | Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) |
CompTIA Network + | Career | Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) |
CompTIA Security + | Career | Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) |
CompTIA A+ | Career | Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) |
CompTIA IT Fundamentals | Career | Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) |
Adobe Certified Associate | Career | Adobe Systems |
ICCP Certified Computing Professional (CCP) | Career | Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals |
NI Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer (CLAD) | Career | NI - National Instruments |
IEEE Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) | Career | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
*This sector is being analyzed and will be added soon. |
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Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
National Incident Management System | Essential | FEMA - Emergency Management Institute |
NC: Sheriffs’ Telecommunicator Certification | Essential | NC Department of Justice |
NC: Emergency Management Certification I & II | Essential | NC Division of Emergency Management |
NECI: Basic 911 Communication Certification | Essential | National Emergency Communications Institute |
NC: Basic Law Enforcement Certification | Career | NC Department of Justice |
NC: Sheriffs’ Detention Officer Certification | Career | NC Department of Justice |
Fire Fighter I & II | Career | NC Department of Insurance OSFM |
Paramedic | Career | NC Office of Emergency Medical Services |
*This sector is being analyzed and will be added soon. |
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*This sector is being analyzed and will be added soon. |
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Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) | Essential | American National Standards Institute (ANSI) |
Certified Fundamentals Cook (CFC) | Essential | American Culinary Federation |
Cosmetologist | Essential | NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners |
Certified Hospitality and Tourism Management Professional (CHTMP) | Essential | American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute |
NC: Early Childhood Credential (NCECC) Equivalency | Essential | NC Division of Child Development |
NC: Registered Barber | Essential | NC Board of Barber Examiners |
ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA) | Career | National Restaurant Association Education Foundation(NRAEF) |
Credential | Level | Issuing Agency |
Escort Vehicle Operator | Essential | NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107) | Essential | Federal Aviation Administration |
ICAR Non-Structural Technician ProLevel I | Essential | Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair |
NC Dealer License | Essential | NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
ICAR Refinish Technician ProLevel I | Essential | Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair |
EETC Principles of Small Engine Technology Certification | Essential | Equipment & Engine Training Council |
USI Visual Line of Sight System Operations (VSO) | Essential | Unmanned Safety Institute |
FAA Mechanic Certificate | Career | Federal Aviation Administration |
EETC Technician Certification | Career | Equipment & Engine Training Council |
FAA Mechanic Certificate | Career | Federal Aviation Administration |
NC: Commercial Driver License (CDL) | Career | NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
Microsoft Technology Associate 98-381: Introduction to Programming | Career | Microsoft Training Academy |
Aircraft Electronics Technician | Career | Aircraft Electronics Association |
ASE - Auto Maintenance and Light Repair (Test G1) | Career | National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) |
ASE - Entry-Level Certification: Automobile | Career | National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) |
ASE - Entry-Level Certification: Collision Repair & Refinish | Career | National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) |