Many Gen Z-ers do not think a college degree is necessary to have either a successful career. 

According to a global study, around 40% of Gen Z kids (anyone said to be born between 1997 and 2012) believe that college degrees are not necessary. 

The study consisted of over 7,000 workers conducted by freelancing job platform Fiverr in partnership with Censuswide. 70% stated that they consider freelancing just as viable as a career option as a traditional nine-to-five. 

‘The autonomy freelancing affords serves as a major draw for a generation eager to pursue their passions, hone their skills, and have more control over their earnings and career trajectory’, wrote Fiverr’s chief marketing officer Gali Arnon. 

Even consultancy firm Gartner reported how in 2023, critical roles will be filled by organisations becoming more comfortable assessing candidates on their ability to perform rather than credentials. 

Meanwhile, Fortune 500 companies like Google and Apple have been avoiding their degree requirements in recent years. In November 2022, just 41% of US based job postings required a bachelor’s degree. This is a 5% drop from 2019. 

This is not even a pandemic repercussion. In 2016, IBM coined the term ‘new collar jobs’, which refers to roles requiring specific, teachable skills rather than degrees. 

Skills are thus becoming the new degrees, with the fast pace of the labour market requiring alternative, flexible and adaptable employees. 

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