Over the past few years, hiring practices across many industries have dramatically shifted. It's becoming increasingly common for employers to reassess whether a university degree is truly necessary - and many are deciding it isn’t. According to recent data, 50% of UK employers have now removed degree requirements from job ads, marking a substantial rise from previous years.
This transition is powered by several key forces: the changing nature of work, the rise of alternative education, a persistent skills shortage, and a growing recognition that talent comes in many forms.
1. Work Itself Is Evolving
Automation and AI is transforming certain jobs that may have required degree-level knowledge in the past. According to industry analysis, roles most exposed to automation now list degree requirements far less often than in previous years. Meanwhile, employers are valuing skills like digital literacy, creativity, and adaptability more than ever.
2. Skills-Based Hiring Is the New Norm
Recent research suggests that over 70% of UK employers now use skills tests during hiring. Of those , nearly half of employers say they’ve removed degree requirements altogether. This skills-first model is viewed as more predictive of job performance than traditional CVs.
3. Alternative Education Is Gaining Traction
Skills bootcamps, online certifications, micro-credentials, and vocational training are becoming powerful alternatives to full degrees. They tend to be much more tailored and specific, more directly aligned with industry needs, and much faster and cheaper to complete.
4. Diversity & Inclusion Matter More
By reducing dependence on university degrees, companies can open doors to a broader, more diverse talent pool. This supports fairness and innovation hiring people for what they can do, not just where they studied.
5. Lifelong Learning Over Traditional Credentials
As technology continues to reshape industries, employers are increasingly valuing a mindset of continuous learning. People who keep reskilling themselves (through short courses, certifications, or work-based learning) are becoming more attractive than those relying solely on their degree.
6. Financial Realities Are Changing
University costs remain high, and not everyone can afford the time or expense. By removing degree barriers, employers make roles accessible to people who've taken different paths which helps to increase social mobility and broaden opportunities.
While there are clear benefits, this shift isn’t without potential drawbacks.
• Evaluation Complexity: Without a degree to use as a baseline, hiring managers need new tools to assess talent. Skills tests, portfolios, or structured interviews can help, but they can be more time-consuming and inconsistent.
• Experience Bias: Placing more emphasis on work experience may disadvantage younger candidates or people changing careers. Not everyone has had the opportunity to build a strong track record yet.
• Standardisation Issues: Degrees often provide a shared credential that guarantees a certain level of education. When that goes, companies must figure out how to standardise assessment in other ways which isn’t an easy task.
• Policy vs Reality: Some organisations may publicly drop degree requirements, but hiring practices don't always follow. Past research has shown that while many companies have removed the formal requirement, their actual hiring still disproportionately favours degree-holders.
Despite the challenges, many organisations believe the benefits of opening up their hiring outweigh the risks:
• Wider Talent Pool: By not filtering out non-degree holders, employers increase their chances of finding high-potential candidates who may have been overlooked before.
• Better Retention and Fit: Skills-based hires often stick around longer and perform better, because they are chosen for their actual ability and not just their qualifications.
• Cost Savings: Degree requirements can be a barrier, not just in limiting candidate pools, but also in perpetuating “degree inflation,” where degrees become a checkbox rather than a signal of quality.
• Strategic Flexibility: Companies that hire for skills are more agile. They can respond quicker to changing business needs, reskill internally, and adapt to market shifts.
The decline of the university degree as a universal hiring requirement marks a fundamental shift in how businesses evaluate talent. The focus is increasingly on what people can do and not just what they’ve studied. This reflects broader economic and technological changes, and in many cases, it's helping organisations become more inclusive, dynamic, and future-ready.
But it also places more responsibility on employers to build fair and effective assessment systems, and on job seekers to continuously develop tangible, demonstrable skills. As the hiring landscape evolves, both sides will need to adapt and those who do may be better positioned to thrive in the talent market of 2025 and beyond.
