NEW JERSEY — Governor Phil Murphy has signed an executive order to prioritize skills and work experience over college degrees for certain jobs in the state of New Jersey.
The order signed Monday directs the state’s Civil Service Commission to identify jobs that require college degrees and determine which ones should have revised hiring guidelines to emphasize practical skills and experience rather than academic achievement.
Officials said hundreds of applicants each year are rejected “or discouraged from applying” because of education requirements for state jobs with salaries that can exceed $120,000 a year.
“Every American should have the opportunity to land a good job with opportunities to grow and secure their place in the middle class, whether or not they have a college degree,” Murphy said in a statement.
Officials said six other states, including Pennsylvania, have taken similar steps to downplay the importance of college degrees in hiring.