Ohio Workforce Policy Fact Sheet
Ohio is poised for significant economic growth, and strategic workforce policies are vital to harness the full potential of its labor force. Removing degree requirements from public sector roles permanently with legislation and shifting towards skills-based hiring will enable employers to hire from a deeper and more qualified pool of candidates.
Snapshot of Ohio’s Workforce1
Among the state’s population, only 33.2% of White residents possess a bachelor’s or more advanced degree, while the figures for Black residents and Hispanic residents stand at 21% and 23.9%, respectively.3
Existing Degree Requirements Reforms: None
Cicero Institute Policies
Cicero Institute has helped numerous states take executive action and pass legislation to remove degree requirements for many government jobs. As a result, government employers must justify whether degree requirements are essential to the role—such as a nurse—thereby preserving the integrity of a degree while removing limitations for qualified individuals who are ready to gain meaningful employment.
Benefits of Removing College Degree Requirements
EMPLOYEES:
Removing unnecessary degree requirements for specified middle-skilled roles will open up meaningful employment opportunities for non-degreed workers.
EMPLOYERS:
Employers will be able to hire more qualified workers from a deeper pool of candidates.
FINANCIALLY:
Removing degree requirements for state jobs will enable hiring managers to hire more qualified candidates from a wider pool of talent that is currently being held back simply due to a lack of a degree. Hiring more qualified candidates should in turn lead to more satisfied employees, contributing to lower turnover rates, and thus reducing onboarding and off boarding costs; all the while lowering the unemployment rate.
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