Minimum Qualification Modernization: Creating Opportunities for STARs Historically, minimum qualifications for classified job titles in State Civil Service (SCS) placed a strong emphasis on formal degree requirements. While alternative pathways were allowed, such as six years of full-time work experience in any field, specialized coursework or training, or a combination of these, those alternatives were often listed as substitutions rather than standard qualifications. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Development (TAWD) Division Highlights Division Highlights Division Highlights Division Highl
While the qualifications attracted a broad and diverse talent pool, they also unintentionally excluded a growing segment of the workforce – individuals who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs). These are candidates with hands-on experience, technical training, or other nontraditional backgrounds who possess the skills needed to succeed but may lack a formal education. STARs represent a massive pool of untapped talent with over 70+ million skilled people working in every field and occupation across the labor market, from travel and hospitality to healthcare, information technology, and more. To remain competitive in today’s labor market, SCS recognized the need to modernize its approach to qualifying applicants. That meant redefining what it means to be “qualified”, placing equal value on relevant experience, practical skills, and formal education.
Beginning in July 2024, SCS began redefining, reorganizing, and prioritizing relevant experience in the minimum requirements for all job titles in the classified pay plan. The aim of the project was to simplify qualification requirements, broaden applicant pools, eliminate ambiguity, and remove unnecessary degree barriers to create a more inclusive, accessible, and modern hiring process. As a result of this massive overhaul, the following outcomes were realized: • Three years of relevant experience has become an additional qualification for most entry-level jobs in addition to a bachelor’s degree and six years of any fulltime work experience. • SCS eliminated professional-level requirements from most minimum qualifications to allow agencies the flexibility of determining if applicant experience is relevant to their posted jobs. • We simplified the language of all minimum qualification requirements to reduce ambiguity with the intention of helping applicants better understand the requirements of jobs to which they apply. State Civil Service implemented the changes to the minimum qualifications effective January 1, 2025. Following implementation, the Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development (TAWD) Division committed to the quarterly review of newly implemented minimum qualifications. Quarter 1 revisions concluded and were implemented effective April 21, 2025, and TAWD is currently working on Quarter 2 reviews. Source: Opportunity@Work
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State Civil Service Spotlight | June 2025
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