Teacher Tea
Degrees as a Signal of Skill and Knowledge: A Deeper Dive
In education, we often discuss college degree requirements in the greater job market in order to better understand the expectations of our students' future employers. This knowledge can help us guide students towards relevant coursework and extracurricular activities that will make them competitive job candidates upon graduation. Understanding evolving job market trends can also help us adapt our curriculum to better prepare students for the skills that they will need to succeed in their chosen careers.
But do all careers really require a four-year degree? And how do we know if a job candidate is actually qualified?
Today’s article comes from David Deming at The Atlantic, titled, “We Need Supply-Side Education Policy.” Deming argues that eliminating degree requirements for jobs is not an effective solution for expanding opportunities for non-college-educated Americans. Instead, he argues, the focus should be on creating alternative ways for workers to prove their qualifications.
Deming points out that while skills-based hiring is widely supported by the public, it has limited impact on hiring practices. Companies still prefer candidates with degrees, even if they don't formally require them. The real issue is the lack of credible non-degree pathways for candidates to demonstrate their skills and qualifications.
The author proposes a “supply-side” approach to tackle this issue. He advocates for investing in career and technical education and establishing federal certification programs to offer clear and standardized credentials. By strengthening these pathways, he argues, the U.S. can create more opportunities for those without college degrees and encourage a fairer labor market.