The Rules of the Talent Game are Changing Before Our Eyes

When the pandemic struck, we saw essential workers—a.k.a. STARs (talented individuals who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes, versus four-year degrees)—rapidly work to reconfigure supply chains, safety protocols, and business processes with adaptability, courage, and skill.

Let’s not forget what we saw; let’s believe our own eyes. STARs are not low-skill; they are low-wage. And, as we work to build back from COVID-19, employers who do not take note of this, and continue to “require” a four-year degree, will lose out on the skilled, diverse talent.

It’s a time of confusing signals, with millions still unemployed while employers struggle to hire according to their old models, and with uncertainty as to whether large-scale public investments might change the landscape in the years ahead, as Opportunity@Work’s Cheston McGuire notes in in the latest Opportunity Wrap: 

• Even with job openings at a record high, millions of Americans face difficulty finding a job, reports Jon Hilsenrath and Sarah Chaney Cambon. Fast-growing skill requirements from employers could even further limit access to opportunities, says Matt Sigelman, CEO of Emsi Burning Glass Technologies. buff.ly/3k0RBNq 
• In a CNBC interview, National Urban League CEO MARC MORIAL expressed skepticism about the “labor shortage,” noting that it may actually be a shortage of “good paying jobs.” Morial said the post-pandemic reality requires employers and policymakers to follow the evidence and address workers’ concerns. buff.ly/3yURg3h 
• Led by AMERICA ACHIEVES, INC and the Education Policy Program at New America, 30 organizations signed an open letter to Congressional leaders calling for workforce development investments to be included in the infrastructure and economic recovery legislation. Opportunity@Work co-signed the letter, which details why opening up career opportunities to STARs is critical for rebuilding the economy. buff.ly/3xBmTi4

As we continue to see news reports of “labor shortages” and “skills gaps” hobbling companies’ competitiveness, the good news is that smart employers can look beyond the degree, tap into previously overlooked STARs talent for the skilled roles they need, and are beginning to win in the post-pandemic economy. Unfortunately and unnecessarily, employers who keep looking backwards through a pedigree lens, aiming for a pre-pandemic “normal,” are being left behind.

All the best,

Byron