Bringing Interview Skills to Life with Digital Badging
An interview with Kevin O’Reilly, Interview Skills Coach and Independent Provider
Digital badges aren’t just for large training programmes or city-wide initiatives — they’re also helping independent providers stand out, scale impact, and give learners something they can hold, share and use.
One provider who has embraced this fully is Kevin O’Reilly, an Interview Skills Coach who works with students, jobseekers, schools, councils and businesses. In this conversation, Kevin explains how badges have enhanced his offer, why he believes in their long-term potential — and the practical tips that make badge delivery simple and effective.
Can you tell us about your role?
I started this business years ago after being made redundant, and I saw a real need for this type of support. Now I work across schools, colleges, universities, councils and businesses, helping people build the confidence and skills they need to succeed in interviews.
How have digital badges helped your work? What value do they bring?
They’ve become a real unique selling point for me. When I’m working with businesses, they want value for money. So when I can say the training includes a badge backed by another organisation — not just my own — that gives it credibility. It makes the learning more tangible. And from a learner perspective, badges are motivating. People have something to show for their effort. I’ve seen students compare badges like they’re achievements — “I got this one, did you get that one?” — and that kind of energy helps keep them engaged.
“It’s a unique selling point that I have as a business owner… Adding the credibility of another organisation on top of my own gives it credibility. It’s something tangible the students can share and use — and it really gets engagement.”
How do you hope to see badges used more in future?
I’d really like to see more employers engaging with badges and understanding the potential. Just think — for a typical entry-level job, a business might receive 125 CVs. If employers could quickly filter for key skills embedded in badges, they could find the right person faster and more reliably. So for me, the vision is that badges become part of recruitment workflows, not just a nice-to-have.
What has your experience been like using the Navigator platform?
At first, I’ll admit, it was a bit of a challenge! But once you get your head around it, it becomes straightforward. And now, with all the new updates and improvements, it’s so much easier to use — especially for people who only use it now and again.
What’s your top tip for other providers using Navigator?
My number one tip is about how you issue badges effectively — especially during in-person sessions.
Once you’ve created your badge, make sure you also create an activity in Navigator for that event. Then, on the day, display the QR code for participants to scan and sign in. This way, everyone is pre-registered and ready to receive their badge at the end. It’s like a sign-in sheet — only digital. If they don’t stay for the full session, they don’t get the badge. It cuts down admin for me and gives nearly 100% badge uptake.”
It’s easy, it’s efficient, and it makes the whole process much smoother for me as a provider.
Any final thoughts about digital badging or the system?
Just that this is something that genuinely adds value for learners, for businesses, and for providers like me. When used properly, it supports engagement, gives learners recognition, and makes the training offer more professional.
