It’s time to tear the paper ceiling that holds back the 50% of workers who are STARs – Skilled Through Alternative Routes, rather than a bachelor’s degree.
Coalition of Nearly 50 Organizations Launches ‘Tear the Paper Ceiling’ Campaign to Raise Awareness Around the 70+ Million Workers in the U.S. Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs)
Nonprofits the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work lead landmark partnership of employers, talent developers and nonprofits on behalf of the majority of U.S. workers without a bachelor’s degree
We surveyed more than 900 workers and 200 managers and found persistent patterns in workplace behavior that diminish STARs’ opportunities for development.
Maryland Launches First-in-the-Nation Initiative to Recruit Experienced, Non-Degree Candidates and partners with Opportunity@Work to recruit and market these roles to STARs.
*STARs (noun) — There are 70+ million adults in the U.S. who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes such as community college, workforce training, bootcamps, certificate programs, military service or on-the-job learning, rather than through a bachelor’s degree. STARs include the majority of Black, Hispanic, and essential workers, as well as veterans.
For STARs, access to high-wage jobs has less to do with skills – and more to do with employer bachelor’s degree screen.
At Opportunity@Work, we believe that if you can do the job, you should get the job.
For decades, STARs have been screened out by a focus on educational attainment. When companies see the data on STARs skills and potential, they realize this is about change, not charity.
That’s why we are gathering, sharing, and publishing data-driven insights that raise STARs’ visibility and change perceptions of workers without a bachelor’s degree.
Many companies want to hire STARs for entry-level tech roles, but they’re finding it hard to navigate the emerging ecosystem of nontraditional talent sources.
Stellarworx is a new, faster and easier way to match STARs with inclusive employers that are ready to hire.
The STARs Studio serves as a design and testing laboratory that helps organizations translate their promises into action, helping STARs access higher wage work–and help the businesses who employ STARs fulfill their commitment to a more inclusive labor market.
We know diversity is not just a target but vital to fueling innovation. Meet the team that’s transforming hiring for the benefit of companies and for STARs. We believe there is value in working together to rewire the labor market, helping businesses and nonprofits alike.
of our staff is BIPOC:
Our team represents the diversity and skills of the national workforce.
are STARs:
We don’t just tell other employers how valuable STARs can be—we demonstrate it by including them at all levels of our organization.
are Women:
Gender diversity is a fundamental part of our success and our mission.
Listen to STARs share their successes: what led them to where they are today, what obstacles they face and what they hope for in the future. In their own words, hear how these STARs are shining a light on how their distinct yet complementary qualities are contributing to the opportunity movement.
“I had tried for many years to get jobs in the tech sector, only to be told that I could not get a job because I did not finish the degree. I was never tested on my technical skills or made it past the first interview.”
“I was motivated to pursue tech when I wanted to build a networking platform for the National Hispanic Institute. I was driven by my desire to find a means beyond my financial limitations to connect young Latinx students and professionals.”
“I started to become passionate about computers at a very early age. The first time I was around a computer, I immediately wanted to figure things out and find out more about it every day; it has been non-stop since then.”
