Employers urged to look beyond degree qualifications when hiring

Latest research shows that just over half of employers still mainly look for either degrees or post-graduate qualifications when hiring new staff.

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), although a degree is of course a requirement for certain job roles, employers could be missing out on key talent and so it is urging them to think carefully about whether a degree is needed for certain roles when hiring, and to invest in a range of vocational training options to upskill current staff.

Lizzie Crowley, skills adviser for the CIPD, commented, “Employers need to stop thinking that generic university degrees are always the best indicator of a person’s potential at work. They think they’re getting ‘off the shelf’ capability rather than assessing the specific skills needed for roles, then wondering why they have ongoing skills gaps.

“More employers need to take a strategic approach to skills to understand current and future needs. This means valuing a wider range of experience and qualifications when recruiting for roles and understanding all of the training and development options available to employers to upskill existing staff.”

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