Papia Debroy Photo

Papia Debroy

SVP and Chief Analytics & Research Officer

Papia Debroy is Senior Vice President and Chief Analytics & Research Officer at Opportunity@Work. She oversees the research work to assist private, public and social sector leaders to act to improve economic opportunity for individuals who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs).

Prior to joining Opportunity@Work, Papia served as a Research Director at CEB, now Gartner, a member-based advisory organization serving more than 80% of the Fortune 1000. In this role, she researched and counseled large, complex organizations on their workforce practices.

Articles

Occupational Segregation Drives Persistent Inequality, Study Says

September 4, 2023
The study grew out of previous research by academics and Opportunity@Work, a nonprofit social venture. That research focused on workers without a college degree but with work experience that could make them candidates for higher-paying jobs — a group called STARs, for those who are “skilled through alternative routes.” The majority of American workers are not college graduates.

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SHRM Touts Value of Skills-Based Hiring During Congressional Hearing

June 23, 2023
Debroy pointed out that when employers use a college degree as a job requirement, they create a “paper ceiling” that “automatically screen[s] out 80 percent of Hispanic workers, more than 70 percent of African Americans, 75 percent of rural Americans and nearly 70 percent of veterans.”

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States are leading the way in tearing the ‘paper ceiling’ and making good jobs available to workers without degrees

June 16, 2023
Analyses by our organization, Opportunity@Work, show that more than 30 million STARs have the skills to do significantly higher-wage work, but systemic barriers prevent them from moving ahead.

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