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Introducing a new platform to streamline processes, track worker achievements, and boost trust in your workforce, Merit.
Today, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced that Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) is streamlining individual professional licensing by partnering with digital credentialing service Merit® to drive innovation, digital transformation, and efficiency for hundreds of thousands of occupational license holders in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Merit’s technology will enable DPOR to issue digital licenses, allowing every licensed professional to carry their up-to-date credentials anywhere they go.
“Electronic credentials will help cut red tape and modernize what is currently an antiquated system,” said Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. “The innovative use of technology by a state agency to streamline and enhance its services to Virginia's citizens, consumers, workers, and industry is one of the reasons why our Commonwealth is the best place for business.”
Historical and current workers who get their licenses through DPOR will also be issued digital licenses that will be available in Merit’s mobile app or on a web browser for increased portability and hassle-free verification. On April 25, Merit and DPOR signed a memorandum of understanding for Merit to provide an electronic credentialing platform supporting DPOR.
“The demands on today’s workforce are rapidly changing, and we need state governments to be as dynamic as the economy is,” said Tomer Kagan, Merit CEO. “This partnership between Virginia and Merit will empower workers to track and maintain their licenses as part of a networked economy of credentialed professionals.”
More than 310,000 Virginia workers in more than 40 industries are legally required to have a license from DPOR to work. Merit's platform facilitates professionals in carrying their licenses seamlessly, making certifications more accessible to consumers and businesses. This enhances trust and peace of mind when engaging with workers across the state. A further benefit to the Commonwealth, the partnership will come at no cost to Virginia or those being issued digital licenses.
“Virginia is taking a bold step forward into the digital age,” said Mary Broz-Vaughan, Acting Director of Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. “This new partnership has the potential to simplify everyday activities for both the hardworking businesses and individuals that make up Virginia’s economy.”
M. Craig Toalson went on to share his support of the meaningful collaboration, “This partnership is the beginnings of an infrastructure that will help ensure that people with the right skills find the right jobs.” He added the benefits workers will face with the new platform, “We have more than 83,000 contractors in Virginia who need licenses. This new system will make licensing easier for everyone involved. It will allow workers to spend less time navigating a complex paperwork process and focusing more on the careers they love.”
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