In an increasingly connected world, managing identity and competency data has never been more important, or more complex. As industries grow more regulated, and digitised, there’s a growing call to empower individuals to take ownership of their own credentials and professional data. At JNCTN, we believe it’s time for a shift – away from centralised systems that place the burden of data management on companies, and toward user-controlled, universally accessible tools.

This is the heart of democratising access to credentials: giving people the ability to manage, control, and share their own verified data in a secure and seamless way, across industries and employers. It’s about flipping the model, so that organisations no longer have to carry the heavy (and risky) burden of storing, verifying, and updating personal compliance data, and individuals can take their verified credentials with them wherever they work.

Two years ago, we spoke at the Digital Hui about putting this theory into action through our partnership with StayLive for the New Zealand energy sector. The StayLive Competency Tool is a powerful example of what digital collaboration at scale can look like. StayLive brings together the entire energy sector with one unifying platform, a shared digital competency solution that can be used by anyone who engages with the industry. Whether you’re a training organisation, generation service provider, or a contractor you can prove your skills, training, and competency through a simple scan. Credentials are owned and managed by the individual, not the company. That means if you change jobs, work across multiple sites, or contract to different firms, your verified data stays with you. As of today, this tool has already seen massive uptake since its introduction and is now being implemented across every generation company in New Zealand.

The benefits of this are huge. Organisations no longer need to manage complex internal databases of training records, worry about expired documents, or risk non-compliance with data privacy laws. Instead, they get real-time visibility of a person’s credentials at the point of work, and the confidence that they’re working with competent, verified people.

For the individuals, it’s a new level of empowerment. They can see what they’re certified to do, what’s about to expire, and what’s needed for new roles – all from their own device. It’s safer. It’s more transparent. And it builds trust across the whole ecosystem.

The energy sector is just the beginning. This model of cross-industry collaboration has massive potential. Imagine a similar unified credentialing platform in construction, where workers move between projects and firms frequently. Or in healthcare, where up-to-date training and certifications are critical for compliance and safety. Or in education, where lifelong learning and micro-credentials could follow a learner from school to university to workplace.

Democratising credentials is not just a technology solution, it’s a mindset shift. It’s about rethinking who owns data, who manages it, and how it flows. At JNCTN, we’re proud to be leading this shift with practical, scalable solutions like StayLive. As more industries open up to the benefits of shared platforms and decentralised credentialing, the opportunity for positive impact, on safety, efficiency, privacy, and equity is massive.

The future of work is mobile, digital, and empowered. It’s time credentials caught up.