Professional recognition is changing fast. First it was paper certificates, then PDFs, then digital badges. And now we’re told blockchain will solve everything.
But let’s pause. It’s worth asking: do these innovations actually make life easier — for learners, providers, and employers? Or are we at risk of overcomplicating something that should be simple?
The promise of badges
Badges were a great idea. Portable, visual, easy to share online. They gave learners a way to show skills instantly, from LinkedIn to personal portfolios.
The problem? Too many are tied to closed ecosystems. Each provider, each platform, wants you to log in. As an HR manager, how many accounts am I expected to create? How many portals do I need to check?
The reality: most won’t bother. A badge without evidence that’s easy to access risks becoming little more than clip-art.
Blockchain: potential and paralysis
Then comes blockchain. In theory, it’s perfect: tamper-proof, verifiable, learner-owned. But which blockchain? Which format? Which wallet?
We’ve experimented with several. To be honest, one is as good as the other — and they all share the same thing in common: they add cost and complexity.
That’s why we’ve chosen to stop at the precursor step. Our certificates are already designed so they can be added to blockchain, or even work as smart contracts. But we believe the time isn’t right yet.
For now, the priority is solving people’s needs today, not 5 or 10 years down the line.
What actually works today
Think about how other parts of life work. Credit cards used to be a mess of providers — until Visa and Mastercard made them universal. Theatre tickets and plane tickets used to be paper stubs — now they sit in your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
That will come for education too. But not yet. And not quickly.
So what works today? PDFs.
- Everyone can open them.
- They can be shared in seconds.
- They don’t require a login or a new ecosystem.
It’s not glamorous, but it works.
The risk of rushing ahead
There’s already talk of “Digital Badge 3.0.” But here’s the thing: Digital Badge 2.0 is the last version that still works on its own, without extra peripherals, apps, or logins. If we race ahead, we risk leaving learners and employers behind.
Yes, we should dream big. Yes, the future might be blockchain-based, interoperable, and beautiful. But in the meantime, providers still need to issue certificates, learners still need to show evidence, and HR managers still need to check it quickly.
One record, many formats
The truth is, you don’t have to choose between a badge, a PDF, or even a blockchain record. They’re not competing products — they’re simply different ways of presenting the same evidence.
At the end of the day, a certificate or badge is just a wrapper for information about what was learned, who delivered it, and how it can be verified.
- The PDF is read by humans — HR managers, recruiters, clients.
- The badge is read by machines — platforms, apps, and networks.
- The blockchain record is the tamper-proof ledger underneath.
What matters isn’t the format. It’s the evidence. If the data is structured properly, you can output it in any form people need.
Closing thought
Recognition matters too much to get lost in tech hype. The future may well be blockchain, but the present is still PDF.
So we keep it simple, we keep it accessible, and we make sure learners, providers, and employers can use recognition now.
Because lifelong learning doesn’t wait for the next version number.
About the Author
Marta Kalas is the Founder & CEO of Open CPD, where she is transforming how training and events gain recognition and credibility. With over 25 years of experience in healthcare and technology, she combines practical insights with a mission to make accreditation accessible, flexible, and impactful.
She also writes The Recognition Gap, her personal LinkedIn newsletter on lifelong learning, CPD certificates, and digital badges.
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