When did Jobs Begin Requiring College Degrees?

Hi folks, I'm a curious junior thinking about the future job market. I'm curious, when did it become a norm for most jobs to start requiring college degrees? Was there a significant shift at some point in history?

The idea of a college degree being a necessary or significant requirement for many job positions started to take hold more concretely in the second half of the 20th century. Of course, jobs such as doctors or lawyers have long required advanced education, but other professions started to demand degrees during this period as well.

The shift bore partial relation to an increase in knowledge and skill-oriented economy. As technology advanced and societies become more complicated, more specific knowledge and skills were needed to perform jobs effectively. Hence, a college degree, which signifies that an individual has undergone formal training or education in a certain field, has become a preferred, if not mandatory, credential.

Another milestone was the passing of the GI Bill after World War II in the United States. This law opened the doors of higher education to a lot more people, especially returning veterans, by covering tuition and living expenses. As more individuals earned degrees, employers started to see it as a standard prerequisite.

However, it's essential to keep in mind that this trend varies greatly by field. Some careers still prioritize experience or vocational training over traditional degrees, and trends like the rise of coding bootcamps or apprenticeships demonstrate that alternatives to a four-year degree are gaining traction.

In today's time, it's also becoming more common for industries, especially tech, to focus less on formal education and more on the individual's skills and experience. Major companies like Apple, Google, and IBM no longer require applicants to have a degree.

Therefore, while there was a shift towards requiring college degrees, trends are also now shifting towards valuing skills and experiences, depending on the industry. It's a dynamic situation that changes with societal trends and labor market needs.