Transforming Learning Landscapes: The rise of NFTs in validating achievements

In this week's article, I collaborated with Sabrina Goerlich, a fellow member of the Web3 Doers community and a Strategic and Business Designer. We are both Web3 educators and enjoy exploring how businesses can leverage blockchain technology to enhance processes and increase efficiency.

Our discussion revolved around education and the potential of blockchain technology to verify students' attendance and comprehension of the material and create a transparent record of their training for proof of completion. 

This innovation could revolutionize how educational achievements are documented and recognized.

We write about the potential use case for applying NFT (non-fungible tokens) and POAPs (proof of attendance protocols) to our Web3 Doers community as an example.

The challenge of a new industry

Two years after a massive boom in blockchain technology, we have seen cohorts of Web3 experts raising and offering their services. Hiring the right partner, collaborator, or employee is becoming increasingly challenging for businesses/companies/organizations.

With a new industry such as Web3, only a few programs offer advanced degrees, primarily in finance or coding.  

A traditional educational system has a clear structure with academic systems and grades. Graduating from an Ivy League school like MIT or Harvard gives you the best headstart for your career because of the trust and credibility of the long-standing tradition.

However, we are moving quickly toward an education model without a system, structure, or grades. A diverse skill set and years of experience also add to a candidate's overall intelligence and ability. How can this be quantified or measured?

For those who aren't interested in this more formal style of education do to ensure that their training is from a credible source and verified?

Decentralized solution

There is a way to establish trust in your skills and give you the credentials for your work and accomplishment outside the traditional education system.

Let's use the Web3 Doers community as an example.

1. Establish an academy for the community where you can attend webinars, complete courses, and participate in discussions.  Throughout your journey, collect NFTs that act as a certificate of completion and list the details of what you achieved and from whom you learned. 

2. Each Web3Doer member owns a certificate passport to store NFTs.Think of this passport as a vault containing all your valuable achievements and credentials. The contents of your passport show potential employers or business partners your verified credentials. 

   All other assets and data (such as cryptocurrency and other digital assets) are held separately and away from view if you choose. Only show what you want to show and what is pertinent to the action you are taking. 

   Our new passport shows our social and business achievements like a LinkedIn profile, but it is easier to read.

3. In addition, when we contribute to our community by participating in discussions, mentor new members, or present on a topic of interest, we will earn the tokens that will show not only a credential or a certificate but also showcases the work that has been done in the background to achieve them. 

   Your learning journey and your business achievements become more transparent and valuable and the community will be much more active. It is very beneficial for all members to learn from each other and share knowledge.

Preventing forgeries, fakes, and manipulation

With artificial intelligence, we can economically validate these credentials. With blockchain technology – in this case, with NFTs – we can store the data in a trusted way that adds value for everyone involved, all on a publically visible transaction ledger.

For consultants, advisors, and content creators, establishing credibility through earning educational NFTs provides proof of learning and accomplishment.

Business organizations could use this certificate passport to hire their new Chief Metaverse Officer, Web3 Marketing consultant, or Web3 Innovation Strategist.

Certification stored on a domain

Just recently, Unstoppable Domains started to sell .eth domains and domains such as .crypto, .nft, .x, and others. Owners of these domains can use the address to receive crypto payments and store certifications. 

Instead of using the long string of numbers and letters, using a domain such as Sabrina.eth or Kelli.eth is an easier way for future employers to view your certifications. 

The domain functions as a profile and digital identity, all under your control of who and what you want to share with others. 

For your next sales pitch or job application, you hand over your Web3 address in a fancy metaverse to get hired for your next gig or project.

Proof of attendance

Attend a conference, webinar, or LinkedIn audio event, and receive a POAP (proof of attendance protocol) showing you were there.

Gamify conferences by using POAPs in a treasure hunt. For example, attendees at the Arvato Blockchance23 collected QR codes and put them together as a puzzle to receive an NFT plus additional physical swag. 

Show off your experience

Soon our social media profiles will show these education NFTs and could encourage more people to take classes to further their education. There will be an increase in specialized courses as this becomes more popular. 

How will one course be determined "better" than another? Well-known universities have credibility. It will be essential to show training courses' credentials to show their experience and knowledge in that particular field/subject.

The d.mba, a business design program, was one of the first non-web3 education businesses to create an excellent representative NFT for over 625 students with generative art.

What the future holds

NFTs are the future of employment. 

Employers will seek out holders of specific NFT certifications to hire for a project. Businesses will post a project, and if you held a particular training NFT from a credible training program, you would be eligible to be hired.

Communities, businesses, and content creators provide specialized training programs and issue NFT certifications for each new skill learned. Those looking to hire will select specific NFTs that fulfill their needs and qualifications.

NFTs reinvent our understanding of education, employment, and the validation of skills and achievements. 

We are witnessing a technological shift and a profound societal transformation from paper qualifications to verifiable skills.

It's not about technology. It's about people. 

So let's embrace this transformation and create a future where every achievement is recognized and every learning journey matters, a future where skills hold more weight than degrees.

After all, it's not just about change. It's about progress.