Is a Degree Still Worth It? The Rise of Skills-First Hiring
14 Aug 2026
There's a real shift happening in how companies hire: a growing share of employers now say they weigh practical skills and certifications as much as - or more than - a candidate's degree. That doesn't mean degrees are becoming worthless. It means they're no longer the only signal that matters.
What's actually changed:
Hiring managers increasingly can't tell from a degree alone whether someone can do the job. Two candidates with the same degree can have wildly different real-world ability, so employers are looking for other evidence: a portfolio, a project, a certification, an internship, a demonstrated skill test.
What this means if you're a student:
- Your degree is still valuable - it opens doors, builds foundational knowledge, and is still a hard requirement for many roles (especially regulated fields like medicine, law, and engineering licensure).
- But it's not enough on its own anymore for a lot of competitive roles. Pair it with something concrete: a certification in a specific tool, a personal project you can show, a relevant internship, or freelance work.
- Employers are getting better at evaluating skills directly - through take-home assignments, portfolio reviews, and skills tests - so it's worth building things you can actually point to, not just courses you've completed.
What this doesn't mean:
It's not a reason to drop out or skip higher education. It's a reason to treat your degree as the foundation, not the finish line. Use your time in college to build the practical evidence that goes alongside it - a strong project, a real internship, or a specific in-demand skill you can demonstrate.
If you're deciding between career paths right now, our self-assessment quiz can help point you toward paths where your existing interests and strengths already give you a head start - and our counsellors can help you figure out what to build alongside your degree.
What's actually changed:
Hiring managers increasingly can't tell from a degree alone whether someone can do the job. Two candidates with the same degree can have wildly different real-world ability, so employers are looking for other evidence: a portfolio, a project, a certification, an internship, a demonstrated skill test.
What this means if you're a student:
- Your degree is still valuable - it opens doors, builds foundational knowledge, and is still a hard requirement for many roles (especially regulated fields like medicine, law, and engineering licensure).
- But it's not enough on its own anymore for a lot of competitive roles. Pair it with something concrete: a certification in a specific tool, a personal project you can show, a relevant internship, or freelance work.
- Employers are getting better at evaluating skills directly - through take-home assignments, portfolio reviews, and skills tests - so it's worth building things you can actually point to, not just courses you've completed.
What this doesn't mean:
It's not a reason to drop out or skip higher education. It's a reason to treat your degree as the foundation, not the finish line. Use your time in college to build the practical evidence that goes alongside it - a strong project, a real internship, or a specific in-demand skill you can demonstrate.
If you're deciding between career paths right now, our self-assessment quiz can help point you toward paths where your existing interests and strengths already give you a head start - and our counsellors can help you figure out what to build alongside your degree.