Case Study: Qual IT achieves organisation-wide skills recognition and automated badging with Totara Learn

Qual IT uses Open Badges to recognise capabilities across the organisation

Qual IT is an independent New Zealand IT testing and assurance firm known for its strong culture and focus on attracting test professionals. Business owners wanted a reliable way to recognise and catalogue the specialist skills their testers need—12 core capabilities and about 30 ancillary ones across basic, advanced and higher levels. An initial in-house badge display was too manual, and they needed a system that allowed subject-matter experts as well as managers to assess capabilities, so an LMS was identified as the ideal solution.

Qual IT implemented Totara Learn with Catalyst to create course-based badges: candidates start a badge plan, complete a self-assessment, get a recommended level, and work with managers to build a portfolio of evidence via appraisals and courses. Assessors conduct interviews and use rubric-based checks, with a Badge Manager performing QA to trigger awards. Since 2013 the programme has issued over 450 badges, improved the company’s skills inventory, and created opportunities to use the data for talent placement and to expand badge coverage as roles evolve.

Qual IT