STARs are Skilled Through Alternative Routes
Over 70 million American workers have valuable, credible skills that employers need right now.
STARs
Individuals at least 25 years old, currently active in the workforce, who have a high school diploma but not a bachelor’s degree.
STARs are a 70+ million strong talent pool
STARs represent a massive pool of untapped talent - they cannot be overlooked.
STARs work in every field and occupation across the labor market, from travel and hospitality to retail, health care, information technology, manufacturing and more.
STARs have valuable skills
STARs gain skills through military service, community college, certificate programs and bootcamps, on-the-job experience, and through other alternative routes.
Our research shows that STARs build skills in many lower-wage jobs that overlap with those required for higher-wage jobs, from software developers and customer service representatives, to patient care coordinators and cybersecurity analysts.
In fact, we found that millions of STARs have already demonstrated skills for jobs that would pay at least 50% higher than their current job.
The skills you have matter more than where you got them
We envision a future where employers hire people based on their skills rather than just their academic pedigree. Skills-first hiring levels the playing field for all workers, allowing STARs to achieve upward economic mobility while providing companies access to more workers they need to fill open jobs.
It’s time for employers to look to STARs and see what they’re missing.
50% of all workers in the U.S. are STARs
Managers with college degrees tend to overestimate the number of their coworkers who also have degrees. But actually STARs represent the majority experience in the American workforce.
STARs are everywhere
A labor market that works for everyone naturally has a variety of skills, professional backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. When companies hire STARs, they're hiring workers with a wide range of problem-solving approaches, industry experiences, and cultural insights — factors that drive innovation and business success.
STARs reflect our country’s racial, ethnic, and cultural differences
White workers who are STARs
Black workers who are STARs
Hispanic workers who are STARs
AAPI workers who are STARs
Native American workers who are STARs
STARs are at different places in their professional journeys
STARs' barriers are not beyond our control. Purposeful actions can help them shine.
“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.”
LaShana Lewis
Founder and CEO of L. M. Lewis Consulting
“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.”
Giancarlo Martinez
Senior UI Developer, Projekt202
“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.”
Wilkin Sanchez
Ground Control Support Specialist, Envision Technology Advisors
Share your STAR story
Everyone knows a STAR! Join our campaign to raise awareness.