Tell us about your personal passion for skills-based talent strategies.
My parents were able to make it into the “middle class” without completing four-year college degrees in their 20s, although my mom did go on to get her bachelor’s and master’s degrees as an older adult. They were hired for their job-related skills and an aptitude for learning, and they flourished in their long careers. But as parents, they realized the opportunities they had been given early in their careers were hardly possible anymore without a bachelor’s degree, so college was the only option discussed with me and my brother.
As I grew into adulthood, I often wondered what had happened in America that had essentially cut people like my parents —bright, hardworking, curious—out of a shot at so many quality jobs because they lacked degrees.
Here at Workday, I’ve met hundreds of people through our Opportunity Onramps program, and I see a common theme: they have grit, resilience, and determination. They’re deeply committed to continuous learning, and want something more for themselves and their families. I’ve watched them evolve and maximize their potential, and have seen lives change.
I’ve seen people who once had to go to food banks to supplement their pantries, now join the boards of those food banks as leaders. I’ve seen people who were formerly homeless now purchase their own homes. I can’t overstate the impact that the skills-based hiring and mobility movement can have. I would love to see us get back to a time where we’re actually appreciating people for their skills, aptitude, ability to learn, capabilities, and capacity, versus a certificate that may not even guarantee skills.
What’s your favorite thing about this documentary?
I’m very proud that we’ve been able to tell these stories in such an empathetic way. One of the featured students, Megan, is a single mother, and we see her have the determination it takes to juggle parenthood as a young adult and complete this rigorous training program. Her story is so powerful, and I know there are a lot of “Megans” out there. Watching her journey has me completely fired up and motivated to make this movement snowball.
What are some steps hiring managers can take right now to help bridge the opportunity gap?
There are simple steps every company can take to quickly open up opportunities for the untapped talent that surrounds us.
First, review internal job descriptions and open role postings and remove degree requirements from jobs where demonstrable and transferable skills and experience will satisfy the job requirements.
Second, put skills-based job interview protocols in place. A great resource for getting started here is a skills-based interview guide from Indeed.
Lastly, people managers can identify and codify the top 10-12 skills needed for each role on their team to make skills-based hiring, internal mobility, and the upskilling of current staff easier and faster to perform in the future.
What’s the one takeaway you hope audiences leave with after watching this film?
This film is available on Netflix in the U.S. starting October 16, 2024, so add it to your watch list now (you must be signed in to Netflix). Our goal is to ultimately change hearts and minds. We want to provide people with a compelling picture of the untapped talent that surrounds them, and show them a reason to embrace the skills-first talent movement.