College Degree No Longer a Requirement for 30,000 California State Jobs, Gov. Newsom Announced
Newsom's plan includes "Career Passports" to highlight applicants' skills instead of their academic qualifications.
By
Governor Gavin Newsom will now allow non-college degree holders to apply and enter about 30,000 jobs in the state government of California.
Joining states like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Minnesota, which have also implemented such policies, this decision hinges on a part of Newsom's "Master Plan for Career Education." In his plan, he's looking to provide Californians with the opportunity to gain new skills and succeed in their professions without needing a college diploma.
California Allows Non-College Graduates to Work in State Jobs
According to FOX News, Newsom's framework is introducing new tools such as "Career Passports," which will electronically record the skills and competencies of individuals applying for jobs. Besides allowing those without college degree holders to access new opportunities, the new policy will also help veterans acquire college credit for their experience in the military.
Newsom reasoned that this is an important feature to build an inclusive economy where people could get good-paying, long-term jobs without having to go into debt to get a four-year college degree.
Read Also: California Bill Proposes to Prioritize Descendants of Slaves in Public University Admission
Elon Musk, among others, praised Newsom's decisions, citing an over-emphasis on college education. Musk argues that individuals are graduating with significant debts and very little practical application skills while society needs practitioners in trades such as plumbing and carpentry.
The policy has gained bipartisan support as Pennsylvania's Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro rolled out a similar program and lifted degree requirements for over 90% of state jobs in 2023. Maryland, under the Republican Governor Larry Hogan, was the first to make this move in 2022. These moves mark an increasing bipartisan consensus to increase opportunities for careers.
The plan of Newsom also speaks to troubling statistics, like the low graduation rates in California's for-profit colleges and public universities. Yahoo stated that the plan is going to shift its focus on skill-based hiring, thus enabling more individuals to contribute to the state's economy without facing the barriers posed by traditional education systems.
