Celebrating the Launch of the VITAL ARTS Micro‑Credentials
The VITAL ARTS team and affiliates (Back L-R) Dr Rimi Khan, Associate Professor Scott Brook, Professor Anna Hickey-Moody, Dr Tammy Wong Hulbert, Rhys Cassidy, Professor Peter Kelly. (Front L-R) PhD Candidate Evrim Sen, Hannah Schneider, Dr Christen Cornell.
Credit: Oliver Seille
At a launch event held at Collingwood Yards, the VITAL ARTS project team introduced our new suite of micro‑credentials designed to formally recognise the 21st‑century skills young people develop through creative practice. These credentials spotlight capabilities such as critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration; skills that are essential in an increasingly complex and fast‑changing world.
A Five‑Year Collaboration Across Research, Industry and Community
VITAL ARTS is powered by CLOCK Your Skills and delivered through an Australian Research Council Linkage project led by RMIT University, Deakin University, Maynooth University and the National University of Singapore. Over five years, the team has worked closely with Creative Australia and youth arts partners including The Push, Australian Theatre for Young People, Centre for Multicultural Youth, Future Foundations, Back to Back Theatre, Carclew, Corrugated Iron Youth Arts, L2R Dance and Gippsland Art Gallery.
Together, these collaborations have shaped accessible, practice‑based micro‑credentials that bridge the gap between creative experience and employment pathways.
The launch brought together industry partners, educators, policymakers and youth sector representatives to celebrate this shared achievement and to recognise the value of creative labour in shaping confident, capable young people.
Young People’s Skills in Action
The impact of these skills is already clear in the experiences of young creatives like Claire Qian, who began volunteering with The Push at 15 and is now a Board Director while working full‑time in corporate law.
Claire Qian credits her long-term volunteer experience with The Push for her career in corporate law.
Credit: Oliver Seille
"When I finally decided to pivot to law a few years later, the HR team at every law firm and subsequent lawyers who interviewed me said that it was my journey from 15 to now, being involved in music – and NOT my law school GPA or ATAR – which formed the basis for why they wanted me to join their firm," Claire shared at the launch.
Similarly, Evrim Şen, a PhD candidate on the VITAL ARTS project and youth consultant at the Centre for Multicultural Youth, spoke about the importance of community‑led practice. “I know what it feels like to be invited into spaces that weren't designed for me, and that experience shapes the way I build communities today,” she said. Evrim highlighted that adaptability, communication and leadership sit at the heart of her work, demonstrating the rich, transferable skills cultivated in youth arts settings.
Evrim Şen, PhD candidate
Credit: Oliver Seille
Recognising Skills That Matter
VITAL ARTS micro‑credentials place value on the learning young people already gain through participation—without the need for additional academic study. These credentials make visible the often overlooked, yet deeply practical and sought‑after skills nurtured through creative engagement.
Aligned with UNESCO and World Health Organisation frameworks, the credentials focus on four core competencies:
Critical Thinking
Creativity
Communication
Collaboration
…alongside five key character qualities:
Curiosity
Initiative
Persistence (grit)
Leadership
Social and cultural awareness
“These skills prepare young people not just for creative industries, but for a dynamic world of work, ongoing learning, and active participation in civic life,” said Professor Anna Hickey‑Moody, Project Lead. “They signal to employers that young people with these credentials are adaptable, thoughtful and able to make things work.”
What’s Next
The micro‑credentials are now ready for use in community and arts education settings. The project team welcomes organisations and practitioners who are interested in embedding them into their programs.
For enquiries or to get involved, please contact: vitalarts123@gmail.com.