Skills-based careers are having a moment. In the ever-changing world of tech, traditional hiring practices are being upended in favor of skills-based careers. This shift places emphasis on specific skills and competencies—like coding bootcamps, certifications, or GitHub portfolios—over conventional qualifications, like degrees or diplomas. We explore what a skills-based career is, why this trend is rapidly gaining momentum, and what you need to know about its effect on your role, your organization, and the tech industry at large.
The term “skills-based career,” identified by publications such as Harvard Business Review and McKinsey & Company, is a recruitment trend in which employers are more likely to consider skills-based qualifiers (demonstrated competencies) like a project portfolio, over traditional academic ones, such as degree completion. Harvard Business Review describes it as a “structural reset” but also a cyclical one; particularly in recent years, employers have been willing to forgo degree requirements for roles that have been difficult to fill, based on immediate need. And in the tech industry, this trend prevails, noted by the rise in popularity of alternative learning paths such as bootcamps and certifications.
After decades of degree requirements and rigid qualifications, why the shift?
The era of “doing” versus achieving
In a typical work day, what you can do is often more important than what you know. This is an era of doing versus achieving, where organizational leaders value applicable skills more than ever, and it makes sense why.
Think about it like this. If you needed to take your car into the shop for repairs, would you rather go to a mechanic who has hands-on, on-the job knowledge or one who’s studied and read books about how to fix a car but hasn’t actually done it? We tend to trust the people who have done it before, and today’s tech hiring is starting to follow a similar principle.
For example, think of software developers whose prowess can be best demonstrated through their coding skills and projects they've contributed to, rather than their GPA or coursework. This emphasis on practical skills ensures that candidates perform effectively from Day One, which can turn into substantial contributions to the team in year one.
This isn’t to say that traditional academia doesn’t have inherent value—it does, but it’s supplemental to that irreplaceable, practical, on-the-job knowledge.
Reap the rewards of the skills-based hire
What does this shift mean for you, your organization, and the industry at large? Here are the benefits of skills-based careers and why shifting your perspective toward one can reap big rewards for you and your company, whether you’re a leader or individual contributor.
Keeping pace with constant change is crucial
The tech industry goes hand-in-hand with rapid change. New tools, frameworks, and technologies seem to emerge at a dizzying pace, and a lack of skilled professionals means organizations must stay ambitious in their search for the right people.
The less-conventional learning methods that skills-based careers lean toward can fill in the gaps in ways that academia cannot. If you’re an individual, focusing on growing in a skills-based approach makes you a favorable hire for organizations. And if you are a leader, you open the candidate pool wider and gain access to people who may have previously been excluded from consideration. Traditional academia often lags with regard to industry needs, making skills-based hiring a more practical approach.
The niche is necessary
Tech also sees the constant need for highly specialized skills. For instance:
- Web development: proficiency in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks like React or Angular
- Data science: expertise in Python, R, machine learning algorithms, and tools like TensorFlow
- Cybersecurity: knowledge of network security, ethical hacking, and tools like Wireshark or Metasploit
It seems like every year—even every month—a new niche appears. Think about how pervasive artificial intelligence has become in the last year alone, entering the lexicon of dinner table conversations. The skills-based career approach addresses this need for highly specialized skill sets.
The bottom line
Put simply, a skills-based career approach benefits individuals and organizations alike. As the industry continues to accelerate faster than ever, the need for specialized skill sets and real-life, practical knowledge will remain. Whether that means enrolling in a coding bootcamp, studying for a certification, or embarking on a self-driven project, what you can do matters more than ever.
Faster, transformative career growth starts here
Not only is training ubiquitous and easier than ever to access, it’s also allowing people to take control of their careers in faster, more transformative ways.
Skills-based everything drives HPE Education Services. Whether it’s a self-paced course with HPE Digital Learner or an in-person instructor-led course, we’ve got the right training content and learning style for you to be the skills-based career person who gets hired for what they can do.
HPE Virtual Labs (vLabs) enable students to get hands-on practice with their lessons from wherever they take the class. Built on state-of-the-art HPE systems, the labs are configured to allow students secure, reliable access from any location. HPE vLabs provide anytime access to courses within HPE Education Services. They can be accessed remotely from any place that has an internet connection, so you can learn from wherever you are—home, café, or classroom.
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KristinaLechuga
I am an HPE Education Services Marketing and Social Media Specialist with a love for all things creative. I love marketing especially because I get to combine storytelling with an analytical approach to create exciting content. I'm an avid reader, painter, and music lover.
