How we verify skills

Watching never counts

Every skill on your Capability Mastery map only moves when you produce real evidence — passing a hands-on lab (real SQL, real code, a real spreadsheet), passing a verification quiz, or having a submission judged against a rubric. Finishing a video updates nothing on its own.

Evidence has a tier, not just a checkmark

• Tier 1 — auto-graded against a deterministic test (your SQL query returns the right rows, your code passes the test suite)
• Tier 2 — judged by AI against an explicit rubric (writing, conversation practice, open-ended scenarios)
• Tier 3 — a real portfolio piece or capstone project

A badge always shows which tier backed it, so an employer sees the difference between “passed an auto-graded test” and “built a real project” instead of one generic checkmark.

Roles, not just isolated skills

Career Compass maps each skill against what real job postings and market data say a target role actually needs, so you can see not just that you passed something, but how much it moves you toward being hired for a specific role.

Credentials that check out on their own

Badges are issued as Open Badges 3.0 / W3C Verifiable Credentials — like a digital diploma anyone can check online, not just our word for it. Anyone you share a badge with can verify it independently, on an open, portable standard.