We’ve written all about the scramble for talent, the skills gap, and the trends causing them. The bottom line is that more companies are contending for fewer workers, and employers must change their ways to stay competitive. 

Reaching for the STARs 

Addressing your talent needs could be as simple as “reaching for the STARs.” STARs are people who are “skilled through alternative routes.” In this context, “alternative routes” may include some college, vocational school, credential training, and military service. Many STARs are highly skilled, specialized, and have received applied on-the-job training. 

There are estimated to be 71 million career-ready STARs, approximately one-half of workers, in the U.S. workforce, which means that companies with mandatory four-year degree requirements stand to benefit the most from engaging STARs. While a four-year degree remains a powerful tool for career readiness, research has found that skills gained on the job may end up being the most career-shaping and in-demand. Employers consistently report better hiring and retention results when they base evaluations on competencies rather than purely on résumés.  

Despite the benefits of hiring STARs, these workers are often overlooked for higher-wage work, losing out on 7.4 million upward-mobile job opportunities that they could have qualified for over the past two decades. Often, what separates STARs from four-year degree holders is a lack of opportunity rather than a lack of ability. 

Engaging the 71 Million STARs 

Recently, the nonprofit Opportunity@Work released a series of reports delving into the barriers faced by STARs, as well as unique challenges that burden specific populations. Their work has culminated in a recent launch of a major campaign alongside the Ad Council to “Tear the Paper Ceiling.” Since then, a coalition of nearly 50 major national organizations alongside dozens of practitioners, including Workmorphis, have signed a pledge to raise up STARs. 

According to O@W, there are three groups of STARs broken out by current wage level and skill-readiness for work: 

Type of STAR	How many?	Who are they?	What it means?
Shining STARs	4 million workers	Beat the barriers and are now in well-paying jobs	The proof of concept
Rising STARs	32 million workers	Work in low to middle-wage jobs but have the skills to aim higher	On deck to excel with the right opportunity
Forming STARs	35 million workers	Have some skills but need more training and support to reach their full potential	The workforce of tomorrow waiting to be upskilled

Why You Should Look to STARs for Talent 

• STARs are everywhere, and you likely have many of them already powering your workforce! 
• STARs are often ahead of their peers who hold four-year degrees when it comes to in-demand skills. 
• STARs are diverse, with 65% of Black workers and 55% of Hispanic workers being skilled through alternative routes. 66% of rural workers are also STARs. 
• STARs are essential, with two-thirds of COVID-19 responders being among them. 
• STARs are a good investment for businesses seeking to develop modern talent pipelines that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

How You Can Change Your Hiring Practices to Open Opportunities to STARs 

• Integrate skills-based hiring into your human resources processes. Value skills competencies and individual experiences as much or more than college degrees. Unless it is essential, eliminate specific educational requirements on your job listings to welcome workers from diverse backgrounds to apply.  
• Invest in career development to keep STARs bright. Involve STARs in hiring, set up clear promotion tracks, and invest in ongoing training.  
• Proactively engage partners to create new talent pipelines. Share success stories and build upon them to move from exploration to trust. 

Does your company or organization have STAR employees? Do you need help building a pipeline of STARs? Are you a STAR yourself? We want to hear about your experience. 

About Workmorphis 

Workmorphis provides a full suite of services to help organizations across the U.S. revitalize their workforce, including workforce planning strategies, skills transformation, diversified workforce pipeline strategies, employee support and empowerment, and more. 

Connect with us at 877.999.7717 or info@workmorphis.com to offer your insights or learn how we can help you transform your workforce. 

Meet the Author 

Nicholas Klein focuses on project execution and policy strategy at Workmorphis. He is an expert implementer who specializes in decoding the public workforce system to help employers and employees compete in a fast-changing labor market. Passionate about advancing policies that create economic mobility, Klein believes that great strategies create new opportunities and prosperity potential at all levels throughout our workplaces, from ownership to entry-level. Klein is a two-time graduate of The Ohio State University, recently earning his Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. His favorite things include action-adventure video games, history, indie and Americana music, and science fiction movies.