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Employers Rethink Need for College Degrees in Tight Labor Market. Google, Delta Air Lines and IBM have reduced requirements for some positions
Wall Street Journal ^ | November 26, 2022 | Austen Hufford

Posted on 11/26/2022 7:38:37 AM PST by karpov

The tight labor market is prompting more employers to eliminate one of the biggest requirements for many higher-paying jobs: the need for a college degree.

Companies such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Delta Air Lines Inc. and International Business Machines Corp. have reduced educational requirements for certain positions and shifted hiring to focus more on skills and experience. Maryland this year cut college-degree requirements for many state jobs—leading to a surge in hiring—and incoming Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro campaigned on a similar initiative.

U.S. job postings requiring at least a bachelor’s degree were 41% in November, down from 46% at the start of 2019 ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an analysis by the Burning Glass Institute, a think tank that studies the future of work. Degree requirements dropped even more early in the pandemic. They have grown since then but remain below prepandemic levels.

The shift comes as demand for workers remains high and unemployment is low. Job postings far outpace the number of unemployed people looking for work—10.7 million openings in September compared with 5.8 million unemployed—creating unusually stiff competition for workers.

The persistently tight labor market has accelerated the trend that builds on a debate about the benefits and drawbacks of encouraging more people to attend four-year colleges and as organizations try to address racial disparities in the workplace.

Some occupations have universal degree requirements, such as doctors and engineers, while others typically have no higher education requirements, such as retail workers. There is a middle ground, such as tech positions, that have varying degree requirements depending on the industry, company and strength of the labor market and economy.

Lucy Mathis won a scholarship to attend a women in computer science conference.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: ccie; cisci; college; google; jobs
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To: karpov

Is there any data out there as to how many employable people are not working because of the government largess????


41 posted on 11/26/2022 8:42:04 AM PST by elpadre (W )
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To: karpov

I used to work for a cable company and they hired people without college degrees for lower management positions (after starting in a non-management position).

One was a young mother named Sheila who passed on college to raise her daughter but she soon showed an aptitude for business and collections and she was promoted. She was a pretty doe-eyed girl with a weak gentle voice and her whole department was terrified of her. She began to acquire other departments under her control and ran them well.

But she ran into that whole college degree thingie and eventually took an at-home degree plan when her daughter was in high school. That innocent face hid a sharp cookie.

My former supervisor Joe was hired straight out of high school and he became a union steward. Joe began winning grievances at such a rate that the managers decided it was easier to promote him to management than fight against him. He eventually rose to a regional sales manager position.

Now, we also had a black manager named Margaret who was quite skilled at what she did but she made the mistake of doing the annual evaluations for the people under her and it was only then we discovered that Margaret was illiterate. Couldn’t read a whit. She was fired when Management realized this. I would have felt better if they’d offered her to earn a GED first. But my point is that quality employees don’t have to be college-eductaed.


42 posted on 11/26/2022 8:46:41 AM PST by OrangeHoof (No food in the stores; fuel prices too high? Thank a liberal.)
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To: karpov

In the modern era there is NO SUBSTITUTE for Cisco’s CCIE certification.

It can be obtained through self study and pay between $100 and $200 an hour in every city in America.

And you don’t have to work with your back.


43 posted on 11/26/2022 8:47:12 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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Comment #44 Removed by Moderator

To: karpov; All

I hope these people have their corporate lawyers working overtime to avoid the USSC Griggs vs Duke Power “ You’re a Racist “ litigation trap! That’s what created the artificial demand for college degrees.


45 posted on 11/26/2022 8:49:51 AM PST by Reily
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To: ThunderStruck94

“PMP”

As a PMP in the tech field, I found it easy to obtain work.


46 posted on 11/26/2022 8:50:08 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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Comment #47 Removed by Moderator

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I applied once for a job that required proficiency with an AS/400 mainframe. The HR chick said to me. “I see you have ASS 400”.


48 posted on 11/26/2022 8:52:19 AM PST by OrangeHoof (No food in the stores; fuel prices too high? Thank a liberal.)
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To: karpov

A couple of thoughts:

— Maybe I’m naive, but I think that, eventually, all this diversity stuff will (eventually) self correct. Just look at what is happening in Silicon Valley now. Lots of layoffs, but they are keeping the people who actually work. I bet if you look, they are getting rid of the fluff diversity hires who contribute nothing to the bottom line.
— One problem with hiring HS grads is that a HS diploma isn’t work much anymore. You have to test these people and see who has the ability and work ethic. It is probably a small fraction of what it was even 10 years ago.
— Even with a college degree, a lot of people are just useless. And sometimes even worse than useless. Many people of prime working age are not even joining the workforce. It’s a big problem, especially in the trades. I think the recent stat is: for every five people who retire, two come in. That simply is not sustainable if we want to keep our current standar of living.


49 posted on 11/26/2022 8:53:43 AM PST by rbg81
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To: Bob434

…and posters who can’t spell.


50 posted on 11/26/2022 8:53:51 AM PST by Laslo Fripp (The Sybil of Free Republic)
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To: Openurmind
A monkey can be trained to watch a dial in a Nuke power plant and hit an emergency button if needed.

But would you trust a monkey to keep a nuke plant form blowing up on your watch?

51 posted on 11/26/2022 8:57:16 AM PST by OrangeHoof (No food in the stores; fuel prices too high? Thank a liberal.)
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To: karpov
College degrees will always be necessary for most STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) along with professional careers such as medicine and law.

College degrees in fine arts, philosophy, community management, ethnic and civilization studies, feminist studies, and similar degrees have never been necessary for any careers other than teaching them to other college students (and even then require a PhD).

If you want a job, go to trade school and learn to be an electrician or plumber.

52 posted on 11/26/2022 8:59:34 AM PST by Bubba_Leroy (Dementia Joe is Not My President)
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To: karpov

[full disclosure] I have a Masters is Cyber Security

I am of the opinion that the majority of positions could be filled with a general education at high school level type test plus one or two job specific skills tests or industry recognized certification.


53 posted on 11/26/2022 9:00:59 AM PST by taxcontrol (The choice is clear - either live as a slave on your knees or die as a free citizen on your feet.)
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To: OrangeHoof

54 posted on 11/26/2022 9:01:06 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (FBI out of Florida!)
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To: ThunderStruck94
All of my interview officials were black and the very first question out of their mouths was about diversity.

As a white male with military experience, your only chance of getting a government job today is to wear a dress to your interviews and tell them you are transgender.

55 posted on 11/26/2022 9:05:29 AM PST by Bubba_Leroy (Dementia Joe is Not My President)
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To: goodnesswins

that is true- They say ‘math is racist’, and kids today really do have a hard time counting because they aren’t taught, or are graded on a curve- - used to be cashiers could add in their heads without using the box to tell them how much change- but even at that, they still mess up adding together how many dimes quarters etc are needed- i give a cashier a $20 and 37 cents when i want a dollar back instead of a coin change, when the bill is $19.63 and they look at me like I’ve lost my mind- they usually say “You gave me too much’ lol


56 posted on 11/26/2022 9:07:39 AM PST by Bob434 (question)
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To: ThunderStruck94

Indeed worked well for me, recently landed a great job with a real estate company In Dallas. You should see results in a short time.


57 posted on 11/26/2022 9:08:52 AM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It! lol)
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To: cranked
Even with the degree, in most jobs, there is training required to do the job.

For a lot of the tech jobs today a certificate or a specialty degree is needed. Don't need sociology or literature for these jobs.

58 posted on 11/26/2022 9:10:31 AM PST by ealgeone
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To: Bob434

i give a cashier a $20 and 37 cents when i want a dollar back instead of a coin change, when the bill is $19.63 and they look at me like I’ve lost my mind- they usually say “You gave me too much’ lol


An interesting hobby. but check your math or posting?


59 posted on 11/26/2022 9:11:08 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
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To: rbg81
Afraid the diversity nonsense is here to stay. Companies are too afraid NOT to be "diverse"...or at least claim they are.

Useless organizations give out bogus "diversity" awards to companies and if they don't have one of these they will put the company on a list. Companies don't want that.

Think about the pending social credit score that's on the way. Also, ESGs are embedded in company profiles.

Also consider...kids are being indoctrinated on multiple fronts with wokeness.

Wokeness is here to stay I'm afraid.

60 posted on 11/26/2022 9:22:16 AM PST by ealgeone
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