Digital Badging

What is launching?

After 30 years of providing professional development and credentialing, Investments and Wealth Institute launched digital badging, so that individuals can share their soft skills with colleagues, peers, employers, clients, and prospects. This allows financial advisors to modernize how individuals display their industry knowledge, skills, and expertise.

Why are we offering digital badges?

As we enter a new digital era of credentialing via digital badges we see the introduction of competency-based education (CBE) as a key marketplace trend that will continue to gain traction in the digital badges market in the education sector during the next few years.

Digital badges can be added to your email signature to convey your professional designation or added to your LinkedIn certifications in one click. We believe these credentials enhance the value of your membership and your certifications with a convenient and professional representation.

What is the value?

Using your credentials to market yourself and differentiate yourself among a sea of financial advisors has endless value.

• Badges are a great way to validate and share your achievements within your professional network.
• By showcasing your abilities and knowledge set publicly, it helps do some of the storytelling for you.
• It helps individuals verify their skill set to potential employers, clients, and prospects.
• Digital showcasing of your achievements helps expand like-minded networks.
• The certification it represents can easily be verified by viewers at any time, and the online view of the badge will communicate its up-to-date status to anyone attempting to verify it. When you share your badge, viewers can immediately see information about your knowledge and skills, verified by the Institute.
• Digital badges allow you to stand out as a certified expert in our industry and give you verified credibility.
• You never worry about losing track of your certificate - ever. Your credential will always be present online.

Where can someone place the badges?

CIMA^®, CPWA^®, and RMA^® certificants who successfully earn these prestigious industry credentials will now be able to display them in more mainstream and highly visible forums, from social media platforms and their email signatures in firm websites.

When will digital badges be available? 

Individuals can start downloading their digital assets on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021.

How?

Individuals can visit certbadges.investmentsandwealth.org, where you can create an account if you choose. Thereafter, it will provide instructions to download your assets.

If you are experiencing any technical glitches, please call 303-770-3377 or email certification@i-w.org.

Will the Institute be offering other badge assets for its members?

Yes, The Institute will be offering digital badge assets. Those individuals who complete an assessment-based course will be able to proudly highlight their commitment to educational enrichment beginning on 5/15/2022. Once individuals complete the course, they will receive an email inviting them to download their newest badge.

In addition, the Institute will be offering exclusive membership badges. These badges allow members to proudly display their commitment to the profession and connection to the Institute. Those assets will be available beginning 3/15/2022. All members will receive an email inviting them to market themselves more prominently in the industry.

Can I share my achievements with others?

Yes, you should share your achievements. Digital credentials let you showcase your achievements on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn with one click.

How can I manage the privacy settings?

Yes, you can control your privacy. Take advantage of searchability and have your achievement be discoverable on search engines or set it to private and share with only selected people. How and when you share your credential is up to you.

Do digital badges help have SEO/SEM functionality?

Yes, you can take advantage of searchability and have your achievement be discoverable on search engines or set it to private and share with only selected people. How and when you share your credential is up to you.

Do you offer a printable version?

Yes, you can print at any time. You can easily print a high-quality PDF of your certificate, whenever you’d like.

Are my credentials verified?

Your credentials are learning-verified. Your certifications on LinkedIn can be linked to your live credential so anyone, anywhere can see what you have achieved.

Can I add my achievements to my email signature?

Yes, your achievements are portable and exportable. They are compatible with Mozilla and that means you can add certificates to different Backpacks. Embed your credential on your own website, in your email signature, or save a PDF of your credential.

Can I add my achievements to my firm’s website?

Yes, your achievements are portable and exportable. They are compatible with Mozilla and that means you can add certificates to different Backpacks. Embed your credential on your own website, in your email signature, or save a PDF of your credential.

How can I find or restore my credentials?

Once you have been issued a badge from us, you will receive an email notification (sent through Accredible) from certificates@example.com. Please allow for 2-3 weeks after you pass your certification exam for your credential notice to be delivered. The notification email will be delivered to the email address you supplied and will give you a link to your badge.

Why is the Institute partnering with Accredible?

We’re committed to providing you with the tools you need to advance your career, and we know that being able to communicate your professional credential is a necessary step for you. That’s why we are excited to partner with Accredible, to provide you with digital versions of the certifications you earn with us. Accredible is a platform for creating digital badges. Accredible has issued millions of digital badges for professional associations around the world, for recognizing career certifications and achievements. 

Where do I go to create an Accredible account to get started?

Members/Certificants aren't required to create an account with Accredible. To get started, go to:

certbadges.investmentsandwealth.org

What can I do with my credentials/badges?

Your digital badge should give you recognition for your newly-earned professional designation. With our secure digital badges, your new skills and knowledge can be verified and shared with employers, colleagues, or recruiters.

To get the most out of your digital badge, you can:

• Add it to your ‘Certifications’ on LinkedIn (you can do this with one click on the credential)
• Share it to your LinkedIn feed to update your network
• Add your badge and designation to your email signature to communicate your new status with your colleagues

Can I add my information to the Institute's membership directory?

Yes, we’re excited to give you the opportunity to be included in our organization’s Member Directory! Our verified member directory is powered by our digital badges with Accredible and allows third parties to verify with us that your credential is currently valid. Potential employers can verify that only valid credential-holders are concerned, protecting the legitimacy of your new certification. This directory is “opt-in”, meaning that you won’t be visible in the directory until you set yourself as visible.

What happens when my credentials expire? 

Your digital badge and certificate will show as expired. Contact Investments & Wealth Institute at recertification@i-w.org for information on how to reinstate your certification.

How does an employer/individual verify my credentials?

Every individual has their own unique webpage that hosts their credentials with a “verify” button. Employers/others just need to click on the “verify” button to the right of the image of the digital badge. Automatically, the system runs through the checks to make sure that the credential is genuine and still valid.

Where do I go if I am having trouble downloading my asset?

We have an IT support system in place for you to help you navigate the new platform. For assistance, please call 303-770-3377 or email certification@i-w.org.