Millions of capable people already have the skills that organizations need to thrive. The problem? Traditional hiring practices, such as rigid degree requirements, can sideline these individuals and keep businesses from tapping into their full potential. 

Research from Opportunity@Work shows that 71 million Americans are skilled through alternative routes — otherwise known as STARs. These people have built valuable capabilities through work experience, certifications, and life, not a four-year degree.

These individuals have the potential to thrive in higher-paying roles today — but outdated methods overlook their unique gifts.

The right workforce development strategy can unlock this potential, creating pathways for employees while helping organizations thrive.

When leaders create conditions for people to contribute, they unlock innovation, engagement, and growth.

Here are five practical strategies based on proven research from Opportunity@Work. to help organizations and individuals succeed together.

1. Hire for skills and experience, not degrees

Too often, credentials become a proxy for capability. But degrees aren’t the only signal of talent. Many STARs already demonstrate in-demand skills like problem-solving, adaptability, and social perceptiveness.

Removing unnecessary degree requirements respects each person’s dignity and values them for what they can do, not where they studied. This bottom-up approach expands the talent pipeline and reflects a powerful truth: When people’s talents are trusted, they rise to the occasion.

Action for Leaders: Audit your job postings. If a degree isn’t legally required or truly essential, drop it. Focus on demonstrated skills and capabilities.

2. Map clear pathways for growth

People thrive when they can see a future for themselves. Too often, however, employees don’t know how their current role connects to higher-paying opportunities. Leaders can fix this by mapping transferable skills and showing how one role can lead to another.

For example, customer service representatives often have competencies that align with HR or sales roles. Making these pathways visible empowers employees to grow while enabling you to fill critical roles from within.

This is mutual benefit in action: Employees see meaning in their work, and organizations strengthen retention and culture.

Action for Leaders: Develop and share career maps that highlight how existing roles connect to growth opportunities.

3. Invest in training that builds on strengths

STARs bring real-world experience that often goes untapped. Instead of starting from scratch, focus on programs that build on what employees already know. Flexible models combine online modules, small-group coaching, and industry credentials. 

Supporting development while people work respects their agency and reinforces the belief in their ability to grow. It also aligns with the principle of self-actualization, helping individuals to discover and develop their unique gifts while creating value for others. 

Action for Leaders: Prioritize learning solutions that are adaptable and designed to meet people where they are.

4. Expand access to alternative routes

Apprenticeships, boot camps, and credential programs are proven pathways to upward mobility — yet too few employers leverage them. According to the Department of Labor, 9 out of 10 apprenticeship participants secure employment after completion.

When leaders partner with educators and nonprofits to expand these options, they create conditions that make it easy to empower people to earn while they learn and advance based on performance. 

Action for Leaders: Explore partnerships that open alternative routes to high-demand roles and integrate them into your workforce strategy.

5. Collaborate to multiply impact

No single company can transform the talent landscape alone. But together, organizations can drive systemic change. Partner with nonprofits, workforce coalitions, and even suppliers to share best practices and scale solutions.

The most effective collaborations start by listening to the communities themselves and working with them to co-create solutions. This bottom-up approach delivers enduring mutual benefit: Communities gain stable employers who strengthen the local economy and create pathways for people to realize their potential, while companies benefit from a healthier business environment and a homegrown talent pool eager to contribute.

These partnerships reflect ideas of Principled Entrepreneurship™ — creating value through voluntary cooperation, not control. It’s how industries evolve and progress: When people unite to remove barriers, everyone wins.

Action for Leaders: Identify at least one external partner to collaborate with on a workforce initiative this year.

Why do these workforce development strategies work?

These five strategies create conditions for people and organizations to thrive together. By hiring for skills instead of education requirements, mapping clear growth paths, investing in development, expanding alternative routes, and collaborating across communities, it’s easy to build a workforce that’s engaged and innovative.

These approaches unlock human potential. They respect the dignity of every person, open doors to new ideas and pathways, and empower people to contribute from the bottom up. 

When businesses embrace this principle-based approach, they don’t just fill jobs — they fuel progress. That’s how to create lasting value for organizations and society. 

Download the free guide to take action

Want practical steps to implement these strategies? Download “A Guide to Reaching for the STARs: Realizing the Potential of America’s Hidden Talent Pool” for free and receive tips on a workforce development strategy that helps unlock team talent while creating principled progress.

Learn more about Stand Together’s efforts to transform the future of work and explore ways you can partner with us.