Hogan eliminates degree requirement for some Maryland state jobs

NEWS LIVE DESK WITH INFORMATION ON WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE UPDATED GUIDELINES. I:KA OUR I-TMEA HAS EXTENSIVELY REPORTED ON THE STAFF SHORTAGE IS FACING MAJOR STATE AGENCIES. MARYLAND IS LIFTING THE FOUR-YEAR COLLEEG DEGREE REQUIREMENT FOR THOUSANDS OF STATE JOBS TO ADDRESS TSEHE VACANCIES. RIT NOW THE STATE EMPLOYS AROUND 38,000 PEOPLE. THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT ESTIMATES MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE JOBS DON’T NEED A FOUR YEAR DEGREE. THIS NEW POLICY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT MANY POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES MAY BE SKILLED IN OTHER ROUTES. OH THOSE JOBSEEKERS ARE REFERRED TO AS STARS OR SKILLED THROUGH ALTERNATIVE ROUTES. THAT INCLUDES THOSE WITH ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE, A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, MILITARY OR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEGREE. WITH CALLISTO IMPACTING THE LABOR MARTKE THIS IS A CHANCE TO TAP INTO THIS WORKER POOL. >> WE REALLY WANT AN ECONOMY WHERE IF YOU COULD DO THE JOB, YOU CAN GET THE JOB. AND IFOU Y CAN LEARN NEW, VALUABLE SKILLS, YOU CAN EARN MORE. AND IF YOU MAKE THEFF EORT, YOU CAN ALSO MAKE PROGRESS. TINHIS INITIATIVE IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THAT HERE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND >> THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF BOLD BIPARTISAN SOLUTION WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LEAD T NHEATION BY GIVING MORE MARYLANDERS THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL BY ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES TYHE FACE IN OUR WORKFORCE AND OUR BUSINESS AND EMPLOYER COMMUNITIES. I:KA SPECIFICALLY ETH PROGRAM WITH OPPORTUNITY AT WORK WILL IDENTIFY STARS IN I.T., ADMINISTRATIVE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE SECTORS. RIGHTOW N THERE ARE MORE THAN 300 OPEN GOVERNMENT JOBS IN THE STATE THAT DO NOT HAVE THIS PRESCREENING REQUIREMENT. ALL OF THESE AVAILABLE JOBS WILL BE H

Policy change eliminates 4-year degree requirement for thousands of Maryland state jobs

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is implementing a new policy to expand work opportunities at state agencies by easing certain restrictions.Maryland is seeing a staff shortage among key state agencies as a result of the pandemic. The 11 News I-Team has extensively reported on the staff shortages facing major state agencies.Some examples include waiting in long lines for license renewals, delays in getting unemployment benefits, dealing with E-ZPass billing issues and understaffing at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that resulted in bodies being stored in hallways and delays in autopsies.So, to address these vacancies, the governor on Tuesday announced Maryland is lifting the four-year college degree requirement for thousands of state jobs.The state currently employs around 38,000 people. The Maryland Department of Budget and Management estimates more than half of those jobs don’t need a four-year degree.The new policy takes into account that many potential employees may be skilled in other routes. Those job-seekers are referred to as “Skilled Through Alternative Routes” or Maryland STARs.STARs are age 25 or older, active in the labor force, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have developed their skills through alternative routes such as community college, apprenticeships, military service, boot camps and most commonly, on the job. “We really want an economy where if you can do the job, you can get the job. And, if you can learn new, valuable skills, you can earn more. And, if you make the effort, you can also make progress. And this initiative is a very important contribution to that here in the state of Maryland,” said Byron Auguste, CEO and co-founder of Opportunity@Work.”This is exactly the kind of bold, bipartisan solution we need to continue to lead the nation by giving more Marylanders the opportunity they need to be successful by addressing the challenges that face our workforce and our business and employer opportunities,” Hogan said.Specifically, the program with Opportunity@Work will identify Maryland STARs in information technology, administrative and customer service sectors.There are currently more than 300 open government jobs in Maryland that don’t have this pre-screening requirement. All of these available jobs will be posted on Stellarworx, which is Opportunity@Work’s Maryland STARs talent marketplace.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is implementing a new policy to expand work opportunities at state agencies by easing certain restrictions.

Maryland is seeing a staff shortage among key state agencies as a result of the pandemic. The 11 News I-Team has extensively reported on the staff shortages facing major state agencies.

Some examples include waiting in long lines for license renewals, delays in getting unemployment benefits, dealing with E-ZPass billing issues and understaffing at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that resulted in bodies being stored in hallways and delays in autopsies.

So, to address these vacancies, the governor on Tuesday announced Maryland is lifting the four-year college degree requirement for thousands of state jobs.

The state currently employs around 38,000 people. The Maryland Department of Budget and Management estimates more than half of those jobs don’t need a four-year degree.

The new policy takes into account that many potential employees may be skilled in other routes. Those job-seekers are referred to as “Skilled Through Alternative Routes” or Maryland STARs.

STARs are age 25 or older, active in the labor force, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have developed their skills through alternative routes such as community college, apprenticeships, military service, boot camps and most commonly, on the job.

“We really want an economy where if you can do the job, you can get the job. And, if you can learn new, valuable skills, you can earn more. And, if you make the effort, you can also make progress. And this initiative is a very important contribution to that here in the state of Maryland,” said Byron Auguste, CEO and co-founder of Opportunity@Work.

“This is exactly the kind of bold, bipartisan solution we need to continue to lead the nation by giving more Marylanders the opportunity they need to be successful by addressing the challenges that face our workforce and our business and employer opportunities,” Hogan said.

Specifically, the program with Opportunity@Work will identify Maryland STARs in information technology, administrative and customer service sectors.

There are currently more than 300 open government jobs in Maryland that don’t have this pre-screening requirement. All of these available jobs will be posted on Stellarworx, which is Opportunity@Work’s Maryland STARs talent marketplace.

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/maryland-state-jobs-no-degree-requirement/39442847