US Companies Are Scratching College Degrees From Job Ads

No degree? No problem. At least, if you want to work for the likes of General Motors, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Accenture, EY and Penguin Random House, to name just a few. General Motors removed degree requirements from many jobs listings, while Delta eased its education requirements for pilots at the start of 2022, saying a four-year college degree was preferred but no longer required.

The majority of U.S roles at IBM also no longer require a four-year degree, Bank of America no longer requires college degrees for the majority of its entry-level jobs, and Walmart, the country’s largest employer, said it values skills and knowledge gained through work experience, and that 75% of its U.S. salaried store management started their careers in hourly jobs.

No degree necessary

These, and many more Fortune 500 companies have started offering high-level roles to candidates without degrees as a way to attract talent in an ever-tightening labor market.

Demand for workers remains high, and unemployment is low. Simply put, companies need more workers than workers need jobs. There were 10.3 million job openings in October 2022 compared with 6.1 million unemployed, so as companies compete for the best in the business, instead of being tasked with weeding potential employees out, HR’s main focus is to bring people in.

And one way to do that is by removing the college degree requirement. A study by Harvard Business School and think tank, The Burning Glass Institute, found, in November 2022, that 41% of U.S.-based job postings required at least a bachelor’s degree––a drop from 46% in early 2019. It is now predicted that, based on trends, an additional 1.4 million jobs could open to workers without college degrees over the next five years.

Apprenticeships

In recent years, both Google and Accenture have also launched apprenticeship programs aimed at bringing in workers without degrees. More than 100,000 people have completed Google’s program, and another 150 companies are now using this program to hire entry-level workers.

“College degrees are out of reach for many Americans, and you shouldn’t need a college diploma to have economic security,” Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, wrote for the company blog in July 2020. “We need new accessible job-training solutions – from enhanced vocational programs to online education – to help American recover and rebuild.”

Experts predict this hiring “reset” will be hugely important for both employers and employees. If companies want to increase equity, diversity and inclusion, one important way to do it is by removing barriers, like inflated degree requirements, to well-paying jobs.

As a result, previously overlooked and underappreciated workers, who have skills and experience, will be able to pursue attractive career pathways, while companies will be better able to fill jobs that need filling. Win-win, really.

Below, we’re taking a look at three jobs to apply for now, and you can discover thousands more on The Hill Jobs Board.

Product Manager, Google, San Diego

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Its team combines the best of Google AI, software, and hardware to create radically helpful experiences. It’s currently looking for a Product Manager to drive hardware and software collaboration between the silicon engineering team, connectivity partners, advanced research teams across the company, and the device hardware/software groups. You’ll need seven years’ of experience in technical product management, experience in the silicon domain, and preferred experience in consumer hardware development life cycles and ODM/CM working models. You can read more about the role here.

Senior Software Engineer, Microsoft, Redmond

Microsoft is looking for a Software Engineer with experience and a strong desire to build cutting-edge graphics systems, modernize gaming experiences, and shape future silicon roadmaps. This important role offers significant potential to positively impact Microsoft and the broader graphics and gaming industry. You should have at least five years of experience delivering broadly released, commercial quality consumer or enterprise software, as well as strong C/C++ coding and debugging skills. Graphics driver development experience is a strong plus, and the ideal candidate has good communication/customer interfacing skills, ability to deal with ambiguity, and ability to prioritize software development tasks. Find more information about this role, plus many more at Microsoft, here.

Platform Developer, IBM, Sandy Springs

A career in IBM Consulting embraces long-term relationships and close collaboration with clients across the globe. As a Software Developer you’ll participate in many aspects of the software development lifecycle, such as design, code implementation, testing, and support. You will create software that enables your clients’ hybrid-cloud and AI journeys. You’ll have the opportunity to work with the latest technologies, ensuring the applications delivered are high performing, highly available, responsive, and maintainable. You’ll need experience in Microsoft Dynamics 365 customization and configuration, strong .Net and JavaScript development skills, experience in formulating FetchXML Queries and strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills. If this sounds like you, discover all you need to know about the role here.

For lots more well-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree, visit The Hill Jobs Board