The tried-and-true playbook for climbing the corporate ladder is becoming obsolete. No longer does simply getting a degree guarantee career success; instead, employers are increasingly evaluating candidates based on demonstrable skills—and credentials that prove them.
And a new report from Western Governors University released today, shared first exclusively with Fortune, underscores that shift: 86% of employers now see non-degree certificates as valuable indicators of job readiness. According to the school’s president, Scott Pulsipher, technological innovation is making it essential for professionals of all ages to acquire in-demand skills, making lifelong learning increasingly the norm.
“The pace of change and the skills required to be highly productive in the world of work, it’s accelerating, meaning it’s just shortening the shelf life of the skills that we have,” Pulsipher told Fortune.
But degrees are far from irrelevant. The report found that 68% of employers still consider degrees important.
“Degrees actually still matter quite a bit, and what we’re seeing is that hiring decisions are increasingly relying on a portfolio of evidence,” Pulsipher said. In some instances, the combination of a work-relevant certification or degree with experience can double a candidates’ chances of getting hired—as compared to lacking a credential.
