Reuters (“Kamala Harris says she will cut degree requirements for certain federal jobs“):
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Friday she will cut college degree requirements for certain federal jobs if elected president as the Democratic presidential candidate and her Republican rival have been making economic pledges to woo voters.
Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump are in a tight race for the Nov. 5 U.S. elections. Harris has previously said she will aim to pass a middle class tax cut, while Trump has advocated for cutting taxes on overtime pay. Both candidates have supported eliminating taxes on tips.
“As president, I will get rid of the unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs to increase jobs for folks without a four-year degree,” Harris said in her speech in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
More than 62% of Americans age 25 or older did not hold a bachelor’s degree, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in early 2023. Americans without college degrees made up three out of five voters in 2020.
The Democratic presidential candidate said on Friday the U.S. should recognize the value of paths to success beyond a college degree, like apprenticeships and technical programs.
A degree does not necessarily indicate a person’s skills, Harris said. She added: “And I will challenge the private sector to do the same.”
I don’t have a strong opinion on whether this is a good idea although, I guess, by definition “unnecessary degree requirements” are, well, unnecessary and should therefore be eliminated. We almost certainly require credentials that are unnecessary too often as a proxy for the possession of certain talents and attributes. It makes culling applicants easier but presents unnecessary barriers.
I’ve recounted before that my late father’s last job in the Army, as a master sergeant, was as a chief instructor at the Military Police School, then at Fort McClellan, Alabama, a major’s billet. Upon his retirement, he tried to get back on at the school as a civilian employee as a mere instructor but was deemed “unqualified” because he only had an associate’s degree and the job required a bachelor’s degree.* He eventually got said degree and got hired, but it was obviously silly.
That said, since I’m rather sure these jobs are currently being filled, the only way this proposal will “increase jobs for folks without a four-year degree” is at the expense of those with one. To the extent the former are, as in my father’s example, actually more qualified for the job, that’s to the good. But this doesn’t actually create any jobs.
As always, Harris’ proposal looks great compared to her opponent’s plan for reforming the Civil Service by firing people who disagree with him.
*Years later I applied for a GS-12 job there with a PhD but was deemed unqualified because the job called for a BA in Education and, while the Civil Service guide specifically deemed a doctorate and relevant experience made me qualified, the HR folks ruled that the waiver should only be granted if there were not applicants with an Education degree.
