I just attended an economic conference where many corporate HR directors were saying that universities are turning out sub-standard products (employees), and that firms are looking elsewhere for their new hires.
It used to be that getting a degree prepared you for the workforce. Then it was getting a degree demonstrated to an employer that you had what it takes to stick with a job (after all, you stuck thru 4-6 years of college). Now employers are saying “why bother with a higher education degree at all.” From the Washington Examiner:
“More and more companies ditch college degree requirements for jobs“:
Big companies like Google, Apple, and IBM are no longer requiring applicants to hold a college degree. This is a significant change. Historically, employers have required a college degree whether or not it was necessary to do the job. IBM is now looking at candidates with experience in non-traditional education, such as coding boot camps or industry-related vocational classes.
Glassdoor compiled an August list of 15 big companies that no longer require a degree to apply: Google, Ernst & Young, Penguin Random House, Costco Wholesale, Whole Foods, Hilton, Publix, Apple, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Home Depot, IBM, Bank of America, Chipotle, and Lowe’s.