EDUCATION AND CAREER TRAINING
A Matter of Degrees
Will hiring STARs tear down the ‘paper ceiling’?
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Education and Career Training Issue 2024
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August 2024
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MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL
4 NorthBaybiz
August 2024
CONTENTS
49 YEARS OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
August 2024 • Volume 49 • Number 10
20
LEAD STORY 20 Tearing the ‘Paper Ceiling’
FEATURE STORIES 30 From Laborers to Owners Jessica Zimmer Latinx workers are moving up through North Bay trades opportunities 40 One for the Books Janet Perry The Read On, Sonoma program is turning the page on the pandemic 50 Technology Breaks New Ground in Construction Jessica Zimmer How digital advancements are changing the industry
Why employers are looking beyond college degrees to find top talent Jean Saylor Doppenberg
WORK/LIFE 14 Microlearning 15 Remote 16 Retail 17 Expenses
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58 62
72
67
COLUMNS 11
DEPARTMENTS 8 Letters 58 Great Tastes
Publisher’s Forum Lawrence Amaturo A Venn diagram for housing solutions
Alexandra Russell Nickel & Nickel brings single-vineyard wines to Oakville The Month In Numbers Jason Walsh A look at the key figures shaping life in the North Bay Dine Wise Jason Walsh Insalata’s, a taste of the Old World in San Anselmo
19
Only In Marin Bill Meagher Put a fork in Done Health? Napa Insider Christina Julian My summer of pizza.
60
29
62
39
Econ 101 Robert Eyler The factors that shape our expectations for inflation
67
What’s Happening Upcoming North Bay events
49
Tech Talk Michael E. Duffy Why there are so many apps Vine Wise Adam Lee Meet the ‘wine pimp’!
71 72
On the Move
61
Biz Scene Sonoma County Farm Fest and the new Hope Village Beyond the Boardroom Rosie Padilla Letitia Hanke, founder of the Lime Foundation
74
65
In the Kitchen John Ash Relish the summer with cold tomato soup
Printed by Publication Printers Corp., an FSC Certified printer. Please recycle this magazine.
NorthBay biz (ISSN No. 1542-3549: USPS 097-770) is owned and published monthly (plus three bonus issues annually) by North Bay Media Group, LLC. Editorial offices are at 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA: (707) 528-4434. Sub- scription price is $35 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Santa Rosa, CA 95402 and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2022, NorthBay biz. Reproduction of this issue in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without written permission by the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NorthBay biz, 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA.
6 NorthBaybiz
August 2024
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Anova Center for Education is a K-12+ school serving autistic and neurodiverse youth who were once singled out and struggling. Through Anova’s proven method of education, students emerge with the tools to connect with others and become contributing members of our community.
Letters...
Publisher
Lawrence Amaturo
Editor-in-Chief
Jason Walsh
Associate Editor
Rosie Padilla
Contributing Editor
Bill Meagher
Allow us to respond this time! Congratulations Susan Farren, Responders Resiliency, Inc. [for her being named Best Community Leader in the 2024 Best of the North
Design Director
Anne Schenk
Bay awards]! Well deserved! —Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce
Administrative Assistant
Jodi Pasquini
Marketing Consultant
Lori Rooney
Writers Jason Walsh Janet Perry Jean Saylor Doppenberg Jessica Zimmer Rosie Padilla
Columnists Adam Lee Alexandra Russell Bill Meagher Christina Julian Jason Walsh John Ash Michael E. Duffy Robert Eyler Photographers Duncan Garrett Will Bucquoy
Must-Not-See Movies of the Summer! [Regarding the post 5 Summer Movies to Blow Sonoma County Away]: Won’t be going anyway. Our theater here in North County closed last year because of successive bad content. Hollyweird post-COVID gives us NOTHING! —Walker Saldana, Sonoma County
We stand corrected In our recent story on career opportunities for women in the trades [“Tradeswomen Wanted,” June] we misidentified the base location of Tradeswomen, Inc. The tradeswomen advocacy nonprofit is based in Oakland.
For more recent NorthBay biz issues, check out northbaybiz.com. Email comments, complaints and witty observations to jwalsh@northbaybiz.com. Please include name, address and phone number. Letters will be edited for length and clarity.
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August 2024
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Books Are Portable Magic Remember being read to as a child? M y mother read aloud to me, and one of my favorite books was Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. But what I remember most was the sound of her voice, the rhythm of the words and what it felt like leaning into her, while she read aloud to me. The pages of those books she read transported us to faraway places—real and imaginary—and taught me about life and oPened my mind to all the possibilities. So when I became a mother, I began reading to my kids. And now I’m reading to my grandchildren every chance I get. As for my mom, now a great-grandmother, she still takes great joy in reading to the kids whenever she visits. Remember to take time every chance you get—eat, play, read. Reading helps build language and thinking skills, develops a child’s imagination and empathy for others, achieve better in school, and it’s a great way to spend time together. And best of all, reading aloud to your child makes memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. That’s what my mother was doing years ago when she took the time to read aloud to me.
“For more than 40 years, we’ve protected people from the elements. Now it’s time to help our kids in the community.” —Barbie Simpson, Owner and President Read on Sonoma!
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Publisher’s Forum
A Venn diagram where education, immigration and housing converge
By Lawrence Amaturo
I ’m told the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate just “loves” Venn diagrams… those round or oval shapes that intersect with other round or oval shapes to illustrate how seemingly disparate ideas have commonality. And while I don’t agree with Kamala Harris’ views, I kinda like Venn diagrams myself! Using a Venn diagram can help us understand the issues we face with immigration, housing and education. The nexus of these three issues reveals both the problems they pose and the solutions they offer. Think about it: The housing crisis in Northern California, especially for our lowest-income residents, has been exacerbated by the need to shelter the millions of our undocumented residents. Drive down any neighborhood in the lower-income areas of your town around 6 p.m. and you’ll see four, five, six or more vehicles parked near each home. That’s the recurring evidence of multiple families sharing single family homes. Let’s not fool ourselves, homes like these are housing folks from all walks of life and ethnicity throughout our country. Rent rates always rise when demand outstrips supply, forcing residents to live in close quarters, share expenses and coexist with family and (sometimes) strangers. Yet regrettably—and this is where a second Venn diagram comes into play—housing and construction is in dire need of skilled workers. Many of these congested and overpriced homes are full of talented, dynamic people. People who want to work. And, currently, we have too few talented and motivated workers to build our housing stock. Lisa Wittke Schaffner, director of the North Coast Builders Exchange, believes that for every five skilled laborers leaving construction in California, only one new laborer is entering. The obvious result of this phenomenon leads to fewer construction projects and higher construction costs. And that’s where the Education Venn circle merges so well with the Immigration and Housing circles! The proper recruiting, training and skills development for the construction industry will ease this construction crisis, create more housing and reduce rents as supply and demand get into better balance. In this issue of NorthBay biz , we feature those making a real and sustainable difference in educating trades people.
Oscar Rojas, owner of Rojas Painting in Petaluma, is one of them. Frank Cuneo, director of the North Bay Building Trades Council’s Trade Introduction Program, is another. Isela Gaona, a case manager for Santa Rosa’s Kerosky & Gallelli Law is yet another. Hispanic workers make up roughly 55% of California’s entire construction force. And while I believe that the employment of undocumented workers over American citizens is a contributing factor to stagnant wages, unfair business practices, employee mistreatment and generally unfair to those who follow the law, I also concede that so many of them are such a net positive to our society. They are, quite literally, helping us dig out of the problems we face. Many are so well trained, so dedicated to their craft, and so dedicated toward making the most of their American experience. While I wish it weren’t so, there are no simple answers. That’s where our team of writers and editors comes in—they highlight the problems, dissect the issues and allow our readers to make their own decisions. We provide the data, echo the voices of those often unheard, and let you sort out your ”take” on the issue. You’ll see that in Jessica Zimmer’s story, “From Laborer to Owner,” referenced above, as well as Jean Saylor Doppenberg’s piece, “Can STARs Tear Down the ‘Paper Ceiling’?,” about how some local recruiters are shifting their views on college-degree requirements. Meanwhile, early education moves to the front of the class in “One for the Books,” Janet Perry’s story about a Sonoma County program to get young students excited about reading. Writer’s block often leads me to sometimes struggle to begin my column, these pros who surround me suffer no such fate! I close my thoughts to you with a calming reassurance that our team guides its readers and never hamstrings. Tell us your side of the story at LAmaturo@ MySonomaMedia.com
Publisher’s note: A few of those policy views Harris and I differ upon include: Immigration, taxes, defunding the police, domestic energy, international trade, war in the middle east and inflation.
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NorthBaybiz 11
MARK ENLOW FAMILY OF COMPANIES
CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY
The Mark Enlow Family Foundation is proud to support the North Bay Children's Center (NBCC), an organization dedicated to providing high-quality early education and care for children, regardless of their family's financial circumstances. Join us in making a meaningful impact—partner with NBCC today by visiting https://nbcc.net/donate . Together, we can ensure every child receives the strong foundation they need to thrive in life. Your support is crucial in continuing this vital mission.
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WORK LIFE
Expenses Learning Retail Remote
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Work Life Learning
Microlearning, in brief
By Jason Walsh
T he 21st-century American worker is inundated with daily distractions—emails, texts, social media feeds, the ability for meetings to take place anytime and anywhere. It’s no wonder the average human attention span has decreased from 12.5 seconds in 2000 to 8.25 seconds today. To put that into context, the goldfish has a 9-second attention span. (Now do we have your attention?) The onslaught of information can make even the most productive employees feel overwhelmed—giving pause to many companies about adding to that with additional workplace skills training. Given our collective inability to dedicate significant mental space to anything more involved than a TikTok video, companies are turning to the concept of microlearning— which breaks down training into brief, easily digestible segments. The training can come in myriad ways: emails, graphics, app notifications, even games. But the one thing it has to be? Brief. 5 Ways Microlearning Can Impact an Organization n Improves productivity: Studies show microlearning enhances employees’ ability to retain information by 18% over traditional learning methods n Improves employee retention: Workers often leave companies when professional development opportunities are absent n Improves employee experience: An employee’s experience at work directly correlates to superior client experience n Future proofs a company: An upskilled employee is a better employee n Shapes learning culture: Easy, regular learning at work builds upon itself like compound interest
n Digital flashcards—store them on your phone. It worked in school, right? n Micro videos—just keep it short, 3 to 7 minutes max n Question of the Day—send via email; helps to re-enforce important topics n Spot the mistake—send an image or something written and ask staff to identify something problematic n True/false—send out true or false questions, make some of them tricky n Fast facts—quick reminders can underscore important information n Do’s and don’ts—short lists highlighting aspects of, for instance, how to respond to customer complaints n Checklists—helps breakdown tasks in to all- important steps 8 great ways to microlearn!
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August 2024
WORK/LIFE/REMOTE
Door closing on hybrid work options By Florian Zandt
T he coronavirus pandemic has necessitated businesses around the world to rethink working arrangements for their employees, with many companies who can easily do so offering fully remote or hybrid work schemes. Now, this thinking is changing. A recent KPMG analysis shows that almost two thirds of the CEOs surveyed expect their workers to be 100% onsite in the next three years and major companies like UPS, Boeing, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase already reinstated the five-day office week, according to Wall Street Journal reporting. This runs counter to the wishes of a majority of the U.S. workforce, with 93% of respondents to a Gallup poll from February 2024 saying they want to work either hybrid or fully remote in the future and only 7% wanting to work fully onsite. Despite Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase mandating office attendance, finance still is the industry that offered the most hybrid-friendly job postings in 2023. This is according to data by the WFH Map project and the connected study Remote Work across Jobs, Companies, and Space from the National Bureau of Economic Research, which shows that out of all the job postings in the U.S. from the Finance & Insurance industry, 25% offered the possibility for remote or hybrid work, down 1.3% compared to 2022. Coming in second and third are the Professional & Scientific sector, which includes lawyers, architects, engineers and advertisers, and the Utilities sector, with 23 and 21.6%, respectively. The latter also saw the biggest rise among the top eight group of industry sectors putting hybrid work options into their job ads, rising by 7.1 points compared to 2022. Interestingly, Manufacturing and Wholesale also made the top list with 13.3 and 12.8%, even though it is evident the respective
job openings were likely for white-collar managerial and office positions. Comparing other English-speaking countries analyzed by WFH Map, the United Kingdom had the highest overall share of job openings mentioning remote work with 15.5% at the end of 2023 and 16.5% in May 2024. The lowest share in the most recent month analyzed was seen in New Zealand with 9.2%, followed by the U.S. with 9.5%.
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Work/Life/ Retail
Self-checkout can’t self- regulate
By Jason Walsh
T he self-checkout aisle can be an efficient and time-saving way to complete a trip to the grocery store, especially if you’ve only got a few items in your basket and are in a hurry. However, it can also be a convenient avenue for shoplifters to slip through with plunder unnoticed. Enter: Senate Bill 1446. Introduced in May by state Sen. Lola Smallwood- Cuevas (D-Culver City), the so-called Retail Theft Prevention and Safety Act would require every two self- checkout kiosks be monitored by at least one employee, and bars them from being tasked with any other responsibilities simultaneously. Today, by comparison, a typical supermarket with, say, six self-checkout kiosks might have one—often zero—clerks overseeing the section. Under SB 1446, that same store would require three staff members to diligently monitor its half-dozen kiosks. Additionally, the proposed legislation would limit self- checkout purchases to no more than 15 items and bar, not only tobacco and alcohol as they do currently, but other items subject to theft-deterrent measures, such as razors and printer ink cartridges. On her state Senate website, Smallwood-Cuevas describes the bill
as a way to “protect jobs and worker safety,” as markets would be forced to ensure “safe staffing levels” at a time when some shops that don’t sell alcohol have eliminated human checkout clerks altogether. She says it’s unsafe for the few remaining staff to police for theft when they’re potentially outnumbered by the perpetrators. Unsurprisingly, retailers aren’t queuing up to endorse the bill, since many of them embraced self-checkout as a cost-saving way to reduce staff, not maintain it. Opponents include the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Green Grocers Association and the California Retailers Association. They warn that SB 1446’s lasting effect will be to encourage retailers to eliminate self-checkout aisles altogether. That possibility could ultimately dictate the fate of SB 1446. According to a survey conducted by Progressive Grocer and RIS News, 44% of consumers prefer the self-checkout process to traditional checkout.
Listen Like Thieves Shoplifters share their secrets The Loss Prevention Research Council asked 24 shoplifting offenders to share their secrets about theft at the self-checkout aisle. Seven said is was “very easy,” seven said “somewhat easy” and only three described the self-checkout as “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult” for a shoplifter. Of the 24 shoplifters, here’s their preferred modus operandi at the self-checkout: • Scan some items but not others (24 respondents)
• Switching labels (5) • Tricking the scale (4) • Other (3)
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August 2024
Work Life Expenses
North Bay residents boast stronger purchasing power
Marin, Sonoma among top-10 counties in state, according to cost-of-living study
By Jason Walsh
Price of gas for your daily
at smartasset said in an announcement of the results, which can be viewed at smartasset.com . “We calculated two different cost-of-living metrics for a household with one adult and no dependents,” smartasset explained in the announcement. “One reflected the baseline cost of living in each location and the other reflected expenditures typical to someone making the county’s median income.” Researchers then combined the two numbers using a weighted average based on how close each county’s per capita income was to the minimum livable income in that area. They also factored income taxes paid in each area in the score. “The biggest expenses we all face can vary significantly from one place to another,” smartasset said. “Therefore, it’s incredibly important to plan ahead before your big move. If not, you might be overwhelmed by higher costs in your new home.” Cost-of-living calculations focus on so-called “necessities.” People can vary on how much they spend on entertainment or gifts, but pretty much everyone requires housing and toilet paper. Here are the basic necessities factored into an area’s typical cost of living: Housing Food State and local taxes College education Childcare Transportation Healthcare Extras (occasional but necessary purchases such as clothing, cell phone, computer, personal care items and household cleaning products) What’s factored into ‘cost of living’ expenses?
San Rafael to Santa Rosa
commute putting a crimp in your bank account? For those looking to
put their Terra Linda Eichler on the market and relocate to areas easier on the wallet, think again. The North Bay may be one of
the more pocketbook- friendly regions in the state, according to a new report. Recently released findings
from economics website smartasset.com ranks Marin and Sonoma counties among the top 10 places in California with the greatest purchasing power—having a high per capita income relative to the cost of living. Marin County’s median income of $142,000 and cost of living of $89,000 registered an 81.19 on the purchasing power index—a third place finish among 58 California counties. Sonoma County’s $99,000 median income and $66,500 cost of living earned a 73.44 on the PPI, or seventh place. Topping the index at 87.84 was San Francisco’s $137,000 income and $82,000 COL, with San Mateo County ranking second at 83.42. Santa Clara County ranked fourth, despite having the state’s highest median income of $154,000 (the Silicon Valley locale was weighted down by also having the highest cost of living, $98,000). Napa County ranked 21st ($106,000 income vs. $77,000 cost of living); Sacramento posted similar numbers, ranking 19th. For context, an area barely squeaking by financially is 58th-ranked Trinity County, where a $44,000 annual cost of living doesn’t leave much over from a $47,000 median income. Median is the number smack dab in the middle of a ranking—so an area’s median income will have half of all incomes ranked lower and half ranked higher. (It’s considered more accurate than mean, or average income, which can be impacted by a handful of extremely high salaries.) The purpose of the study was to identify the places where average living expenses are most affordable for the people living there, officials
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Only In Marin
Possible health-care fraud and the Newsoms return to the nest By Bill Meagher
2022, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency was also kicking the tires on how Done worked and the drugs that were allegedly being distributed. The Wall Street Journal was the first media outlet to report on the DEA’s interest in Done. Brody faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances. Dr. Brody’s San Francisco-based attorney Naomi Chung furnished this statement: “The war on drugs has now become a war on doctors. Millions of patients will be denied access to essential medicines as a result, resulting in profound suffering that the government apparently views as acceptable collateral damage. Dr. Brody worked to promote access to medical treatment for those
Dr. David Brody has his psychiatric office on Red Hill Road in San Anselmo. But if the feds have anything to say about it, Brody will need to let that lease go. The clinical president of Done Health, Brody is facing health-care fraud charges after the U.S. Department of Justice arrested him following an indictment alleging a scheme to distribute Adderall via a telemedicine network. He was also charged with obstruction of justice over allegedly destroying documents the feds wanted. The court allowed for Brody’s release on $250,000 bond. Adderall is a stimulant used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the drug must be prescribed by a doctor as it qualifies as a controlled substance.
The DOJ brought charges against a San Anselmo psychiatrist over an alleged scheme involving Adderall distribution.
with ADHD in the face of both widespread stigma and the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic, and we look forward to presenting his case in court.” Your Marin Moment It seems that Thomas Wolfe got it wrong, you can go home again. At least you can if you are Gavin Newsom. The Governor of California has ditched Sacramento for Marin, returning to his roots for the sake of his kids’ educations. Officially, Newsom will split some time between here and Sacramento. But the move home has been in the works for a while so that when his current term is up in 2027, their children will not have to move schools. Newsom, along with his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom, come back to a place that hasn’t changed much since Newsom took the chief exec job for the Golden State. Marin is still a fairly educated area with low unemployment, housing costs that are from another planet, and local battles over a wide variety of issues. g
According to the indictment, Brody and the CEO of Done Health, Ruthia He, are alleged to have acted in conspiracy “to unlawfully enrich themselves by, among other things, increasing monthly subscription revenue and thus increasing the value of the company. Done [Health] allegedly arranged for the prescription of over 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants, and obtained over $100 million in revenue.” A million here and a million there, pretty soon it’s real cash. Brody and He are accused of providing easy access to Adderall and other drugs via the telemedicine connection and spending millions of dollars on deceptive advertisements on social media. The indictment alleged that Done defrauded Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurers of $14 million. According to Done’s website, “Done is a digital health company that is making high quality psychiatric chronic care management more accessible and affordable for patients. Our mission is to empower everyone to reach their fullest potential.” The website also carries this disclaimer: Done Global Inc. [parent company of Done] does not provide any medical services. All professional services are provided by independent medical groups via the Done technology platform.” Via an online platform, Done clients were put in touch with medical professionals who reviewed the clients request for meds as well as condition and symptoms. If drugs were proscribed, the client could pick them up at a pharmacy or in some cases they could be mailed. Brody has a medical degree from UC Irvine and did postdoctoral work at Stanford University’s Department of Neurobiology, according to Done’s website. The Better Business Bureau undertook a review of a series of complaints about customer service at Done in June 2022. The company is not accredited by the BBB. The DOJ and the BBB weren’t alone in having concerns about Done. In
Bill Meagher is a contributing editor at NorthBay biz and writes this column on a monthly basis. He is also a senior reporter at The Deal, a Manhattan-based financial news outlet where he covers alternative investment, SPACs, PIPEs and the SEC among other acronyms.
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August 2024
Can STARs tear down the ‘paper ceiling’?
Recruiters are rethinking the importance of college degrees over experience
By Jean Saylor Doppenberg H ow important is a college degree to land a job requiring a certain level of skills? For physicians and others who must attain advanced degrees to practice medicine and the law, higher education is a must. But for millions of workers without a degree, their resume may have routinely been thrown on the “reject” pile over the years simply because that paper diploma was beyond their reach. “Tear the Paper Ceiling” (“paper” refers to a degree) is a national public service campaign that aims to convince companies to drop the four-year degree requirements for many jobs they are seeking to fill, greatly expanding the candidate pool in a time of low unemployment by focusing on applicants’ existing skills and experience. These people without degrees are being called STARs (skilled through alternative routes). The Advertising Council, a national nonprofit that
promotes public service announcements, created the campaign for Opportunity@Work, an organization that seeks to eliminate the opportunity gap in hiring and help millions of under-credentialed Americans find gainful employment. Opportunity@Work’s founding donor is Reid Hoffman, co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn. The organization says of the estimated 70 million STARs in the workplace, approximately 4 million have found high-paying jobs without needing degrees. According to tearthepaperceiling.org , STARs “reflect our nation’s racial and cultural diversity”: 61% of Black workers are STARs, 55% of Latinx workers, 50% of white workers, 66% of rural Americans and 61% of veterans. On the website, employers can download the STARs Hiring Playbook, which includes guides to help companies find skills-based talent and prepare for skills-based job interviews.
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With college enrollment dropping, employers are turning to new ideas about what experience counts most in the hiring process.
Shifting attitudes College is not for everyone. For a multitude of reasons, many high school graduates do not go on to attend a four-year school. Perhaps the financing isn’t available for them to pursue a degree, they don’t want the burden of student loans following graduation or they prefer to enroll in a trade school to learn a specific skill. The attitude toward colleges and universities is also shifting. A recent Gallup poll found that 36% of Americans have a lot of confidence in higher education, while 32% have “some confidence,” and 32% have “little or no confidence.” In 2015, by comparison, 57% had a lot of confidence in higher education, and only 10% had little or none. In 2021, the Harvard Business Review reported that fewer high-school graduates pursued higher education in 2020 than in previous years. “College enrollments dropped by 6.8% in 2020, more than quadrupling the pre-pandemic rate of decline,” the study stated. “These trends, combined with the Great Resignation, have forced companies to rethink some of their more traditional hiring practices. When it comes to finding the right candidates, recruiters are now looking at talent pipelines outside of college pathways.” In what’s called “down-credentialing” or a “degree reset,” some major employers such as IBM dropped degree requirements from more than half of its U.S. job postings beginning in 2021. By dropping degrees, job postings are worded more specifically to seek pertinent skills for a position, and particularly soft skills. Focusing on skill sets Ryan Buxbaum, president of Next One Staffing in Santa Rosa, says that having a degree for some jobs “has now moved from the ‘must-have’ category to the ‘nice-to-have’ category” for many employers.” To illustrate his point, he says, “When you go fishing, if you
catch a lot of fish you can be picky about the ones you keep and the ones you throw back. When unemployment rates are so low and you only have one or two applicants for a certain position, you can’t be picky.” [In May, the unemployment rate in California was 5.2%, while the national average in June was 4.1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.] People are posting jobs but not getting a lot of response, he explains. “This is a trend we are seeing more often now, and in the past it was more important to exclude candidates for this or that reason. But now we want to include as many as we can. At our client intake we ask them how important a degree is to them and why it is necessary. If we can narrow down their search to the right skill set, we can work with that.” “Most of my business clients don’t require degrees of their job applicants, but they do ask for specific certifications, such as for a medical assistant,” says Ginny Kuhel of KuhelBreez HR Consulting in Fairfax. “My clients are small businesses, and many will say ‘we want such and such skill or equivalent experience.’ I never felt that you had to have a degree, and when I’m interviewing I’m not looking for degrees. I have a degree myself, but it’s not in HR. I’m self-taught in HR.” Pete Lawson, founder and principal at Inspire Talent in Novato, says that for the most part as he recruits tech talent for his clients, degrees are not deprioritized. “A degree doesn’t mean nothing, but as I’m searching for special skills a degree is not a top priority. But it is sometimes used to rationalize a decision to go with one job candidate or another. “Personally, with everything I’ve done in my career, I can’t say that my degree helped me get here at all. I was a theater major.” Brilliant and degree-less In a previous position where Lawson worked to hire engineers, everyone who applied was offered an interview. “It was a first assessment of their skills, and some of the best engineers we
22 NorthBaybiz
August 2024
“Personally, with everything I’ve done in my career, I can’t say that my degree helped me get here at all. I was a theater major.” —Pete Lawson, Inspire Talent
hired were self-taught. They had taught themselves how to code in their mom’s basement or wherever, but most recruiting companies wouldn’t give them a chance. I’ve seen Harvard graduates not pass that first assessment interview, and then others with no degrees who went on to get the jobs. The wrong way to build a recruitment strategy is to base it on degrees. That said, there are key schools teaching tech skills that are grooming the best talent, and we do consider those credentials.” Summer Jeffus says she has known many different business owners who never earned degrees. “Some of the most brilliant people I’ve ever worked with are the ones without degrees, and I look for that. They can be the best problem solvers and decision makers,” says the vice president of business development and marketing manager for California Statewide
Certified Development Corporation in Santa Rosa. The most successful businesspeople she knows are tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians, “and they don’t have all that overhead of paying back student loans.” She recalls what happened to a colleague many years ago who worked at a financial institution. When the company changed the education criteria for his position he was demoted because he didn’t have a degree. “When they later
Pete Lawson
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August 2024
NorthBaybiz 23
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Hiring managers are looking more at candidates who are outgoing and will be quick to learn new skills.
tried to find the talent they needed for other positions, they had to rewrite the policy [about degrees] to be more inclusive of potential candidates without them. And that’s what’s happening now, companies are having to make adjustments again.” Unfortunately, she adds, there can be a sense of failure among parents if they can’t send their children to college. “But
parents also may not be focused on what their kids really want to do, and they should take time to find out what their talents are.” Degrees not discussed Many employers are now looking more at candidates “who are outgoing and will be quick to learn skills,” says Buxbaum.
The “paper ceiling”—what is it? Many jobs require an academic qualification, such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree. This is referred to as the “paper ceiling,” a term created several years ago by the organization Opportunity@Work. Its former vice president of marketing and communications, Will Villota, says the phrase is meant to emphasize the skills of job candidates and to “pivot away from pedigree and credentials.”
from community college work or certificate programs, and military service. Yet many workers without degrees encounter a lifetime of lower earnings, limited options for promotions and few or no options to develop additional skills on the job. Major companies that have committed to challenging the paper ceiling include Google, which created the Google Career Certificate in 2018 to train individuals in several digital-job areas. Google also offers the Grow with Google certificate, to train for specific jobs. The program is affordable and requires only a three- to six-month commitment. For more information, visit tearthepaperceiling.org.
These degree-less workers are known as STARs (skilled through alternative routes), and Villota says there are 70 million STARs in the U.S., accounting for about half of the nation’s workforce. They are people 25 years and older without a college degree but who may hold an associate degree, have robust on-the-job training experience, credits
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Recruiters are finding on-the-job experience is a better gauge of a candidate’s future success than a post-secondary degree.
“Like, if you need a bookkeeper and that person needs some experience with a software such as QuickBooks. If they don’t have that experience they can learn that program in a week on the job. So why filter out good candidates if you can teach them the software in a matter of days?” However, Buxbaum says employers have a difficult time attracting talent to Sonoma County. “If they are young, they have to want to move here, but big cities tend to snatch those people up. We are also competing with candidates from other places. Remote work is a wonderful thing, and a lot of people in California work remotely. But if they can work remotely here then, say, someone in Michigan can also do that job just as effectively, or even someone in eastern Europe. It’s a tough labor market for sure.” What his company is experiencing with postings of technology jobs is that having certifications in tech earned outside of college can qualify the applicant for a job that pays $50 to $80 an hour. “And a discussion about holding a degree doesn’t even come up. Frankly, there is some part of this generation in college right now who are very disenchanted that they might come out of school with a degree but facing $200,000 in debt.” Next One finds qualified tech workers for several financial institutions in Sonoma County, who need skills in mastering specific software and programming. “These clients are not looking for a degree but a specific skill set, such as being a Python specialist. With that verified certification in hand, the college degree requirement was never brought up with
a certain applicant because it simply wasn’t a criteria for qualifying for the job,” says Buxbaum. Unfortunately, he adds, there can still be applicants who fudge the truth on their resume about having a degree. “In the early 2000s there was a run of shady diploma mills where you could send your information, write a thesis and be issued a master’s degree or a doctorate. We had to vet those credentials on resumes to spot the bogus ‘schools’ that were issuing that paper. It’s just not possible anymore to fake having a degree.” Skills over formal education Lawson says the concept of the “paper ceiling,” the invisible barrier that excludes capable individuals who lack formal degrees, resonates deeply with his hiring philosophy and the companies he works with. “We have consistently observed that candidates with strong portfolios, relevant work experience and demonstrable skills often outperform those who simply possess a degree. In the fast-paced tech landscape, what truly matters is an individual’s ability to deliver results, adapt to new technologies and contribute to innovative solutions.” Many of the companies he recruits for have already shifted their hiring practices to prioritize these attributes over formal education. “This approach not only broadens the talent pool but also fosters a more diverse and inclusive workforce. We’ve seen first-hand how candidates from nontraditional backgrounds bring fresh perspectives that drive our companies forward.” Gen Xers and millennials, he adds, are also attracted to
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Paper Ceiling
companies that have a learning culture built in. “They like having the resources and ability to continue their education whether in their field or other skills beyond, so companies are trying to figure out the top benefits they can offer to attract the best talent. A priority for these candidates when applying is the opportunity for skills-based learning post-college.” With thousands of workers laid off from tech jobs recently in the Bay Area, Lawson is seeing applicants without degrees or skills in any given area who are applying for everything. “They are trying to game the system enough so they will at least get a first interview. A lot of people who wouldn’t have considered certain jobs are now eating humble pie. I’m seeing some bias on the employer side, and some clients I’m working with don’t want to consider those folks who are actively looking for a job. A layoff doesn’t equal a bad job performance, but many clients want people who are still working.” He recently recruited for a customer success director role and received 600 applications in three days. “How do you truly go through a big pile of resumes and understand who your top candidates are? With artificial intelligence being introduced into recruitment processes, that will change.” Adapting quickly A Harvard Business School report from 2017 stated that “a degree is a legitimate aspiration for all, and every effort should be made to remove barriers that impede any young person with the aptitude and motivation to attend [college].” It continued: “But the failure to earn a college degree should not become a barrier to entering the workforce or bar access to career paths that lead to economic independence… it undermines America’s competitiveness by constraining growth and consumer purchasing power.” We’re moving into an exciting time, says Buxbaum, because by dropping some degree requirements, employers are going to start to find the best people for their jobs. “The companies that adapt quickly to this will have better outcomes in their hiring.” g
Well-paying jobs not requiring degrees C ontrary to popular belief, not every well-paying position available to job seekers requires time first spent earning a
Boilermaker—$59,227 annually Police officer—$59,621 Distribution manager—$77,376 Web developer—$77,791 HVAC supervisor—$80,337 Tanker driver —$84,461 Additional jobs not requiring a degree can include correctional officer, electrical technician, warehouse manager, construction supervisor, IT technician, solar installer, programmer, personal coach and dental assistant.
college degree. Some, however, require training that is specific to the job, which can be learned through courses at community colleges and trade schools. According to Indeed.com , many jobs in California that don’t require a formal degree can still earn job seekers nearly $60,000 and more per year, based on national average salaries. Some examples include:
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Please email comments to jwalsh@NorthBaybiz.com
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Astronomy compels the soul to look upward
ROBERT FERGUSON OBSERVATORY Sugarloaf Ridge State Park RFO.org
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Napa Insider
The swinging days of summer By Christina Julian
H ot summer nights and the movies spawned about them punctuate why this is one of my favorite times of year in Napa Valley. The mosquitoes are gone, swinging the night away at music in the park is the norm, and rosé and pizza dominate the dinner table. The latter is also attributed to my return home from the pizza capital of the country—New York City. The slice cred that Manhattan has garnered over the years is, to quote my tweens, “for-reals,” and from my perspective, well earned. I’ve yet to find many things that top the perfectly cheesy, foldable, part crispy/part chewy crust that NYC pizza is known for. Thankfully, my gluttonous ways did not have to end—thanks to the return of the Summer of Pies World Pizza Tour at The Grove Restaurant at Copia, which grant me a parade of otherworldly
Similar to BottleRock the food scene also took center stage, with an emphasis on Latin cuisine and dishes from an array of diverse vendors including El Sabor Serrano, Uruapan Style, empanadas from Cocina Milonga, Gary’s Paella and Cha-Cha Sweets. As I enjoyed the sounds and sips from The Grove, I was reminded of one of my first columns, when I wrote (or was it ranted) about the lack of live outdoor music in Napa Valley. Be it excellent foreshadowing on my part, or simply a natural progression, the times and tunes have changed over the past 13 years as, one song and festival at a time, Napa Valley grew into a mecca for live music. Changemakers Music is not the only major movement afoot. This summer the U.S. Conference of Mayors passed
Think: Pizza Palooza!
pies without ever having to take flight. The concept is easy to digest— think pizza palooza—where guest pizzaiolos from around the country join chef Deborah Mullin to flip specialty pies, which rotate every two weeks. Napoletana, Roman al Taglio, Tonda Romana, Pinsa Romana, Padellino, Siciliana and Okonomiyaki style are all on order from an A-list roster of guest chefs: Glenn Cybulski, an award-winning executive chef and certified pizzaiolo with over 100 national and international culinary awards in rustic Italian cuisine and American comfort food; Thomas McNaughton, chef and owner of Flour & Water; Craig Stoll, co-founder of Delfina & Pizzeria Delfina; and World Pizza Champion Spencer Glenn. Asking a girl to pick her favorite pizza is a lot like asking a winemaker to name their favorite wine, but when pressed, I’d give Che Fico’s Ananas pie top props. An expert balance between the tang of the grilled pineapple and smoky crust, cut by the Calabrian Chili Bomba, mozzarella and red onion. The only thing that bested this savory delight, was learning that the pizza tour will continue through fall with nods to American-style pizzas including my beloved New York, as well as Chicago deep dish, Detroit Tavern, New Haven and California Neapolitan. Another summer crowd pleaser was the first-ever La Onda Latin music festival that descended on Napa just one week after BottleRock blasted downtown. While I did not officially attend the fest, my husband and I became inadvertent secondhand listeners during our first World Pizza Tour pitstop in June. Right as I sunk my teeth in, Latin beats reverberated in between bites. The music was lively and, given the roar from the crowd of legit festival goers we heard while seated at Copia, it was embraced. The event, which represented Latino culture in the area, drew more than 65,000 fans from Northern California and beyond. The 2025 festival is already in the works from BottleRock producers Latitude 38 and now La Buena Onda Presents.
a resolution in support of amending the Constitution on guns. The initiative was sponsored by mayors from Oregon, Ohio, Georgia, New York, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi and California, which became the first state to call for a Constitutional convention on the issue. Locally, more than 700 Napans showed up to Rock the Ride USA Napa 2024, which is focused on ending gun violence and creating a safer future. The first ride began in 2018 in response to the Pathway Home shooting in Yountville that took the lives of Christine Loeber, Dr. Jennifer Golick, Dr. Jennifer Gonzales Shushereba and her unborn child. This year’s Rock the Ride drew title sponsor Sutter Health, guest speaker former South Bay Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and Rep. Mike Thompson (D- St. Helena) who chairs the House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, to ensure commonsense gun-violence legislation is enacted. More than $600,000 was raised for charities including Alaina’s Voice Foundation, Giffords and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Participants biked, walked through vineyards, sipped wines and came together to end gun violence. As an advocate, in my case focused on spreading fentanyl awareness, I hear from many who express how we are sheltered from the omnipresent dangers that plague the broader San Francisco Bay Area, and at times we very well may be. But the stark realities are, we are not impervious to the risks that are striking our state and country. In my view, awareness and action are some of the truest paths forward. g After years in the technology and advertising trenches, Christina Julian traded city life for country and unearthed a new philosophy— life is complicated, wine and food shouldn’t be. Her debut novel, a romantic comedy called The Dating Bender , is now available. Learn more at christinajulian.com . You can reach her at cjulian@ northbaybiz.com.
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