02/06/2024

"New-collar Workers" Emerging in Labor Force

A seven-step plan for the next generation of career candidates

They're called "new-collar workers"—not white- or blue-collar jobs—a new category in hiring that leaves college degrees in the dust and gives more attention to skilled employees with a nontraditional education. According to the Harvard Business Review, many workers are unable to advance because they don't have a bachelor's degree and are stuck in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, companies are looking for workers to meet their diversity goals and reduce social and economic inequality. These problems could be alleviated, the authors say, if employers focused on job candidates' skills instead of their degree status: "There's a huge, capable and diverse talent pool out there that companies aren't paying nearly enough attention to: workers without college degrees." The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that between 2020 and 2030, 60 percent of new jobs—some yielding six figures—will be new-collar occupations that won't require any type of college degree.

"New-Collar," Skills-first Approach To Hiring

The skills-first approach to hiring "new-collar workers" goes against the long-held traditional grain that the four-year college degree—a symbol of accomplishment, prestige and pride—is imperative for social acceptance and career success. For as long as many of us can remember, high-school graduates were encouraged to pursue a college degree for financial and psychological security. That message has been drilled into students' heads from parents and schools, according to James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna—the world's most comprehensive job search engine.

But since the (COVID-19) pandemic, the tide has been changing. More business leaders are saying ditch the four-year degree because it's no longer necessary for jobs that can earn top dollar. Neave insists that a college degree is not necessary to be successful or earn a good salary.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Forbes.