Brown, Ohio Business Leaders Discuss Brown’s Bill To Expand Job Opportunities For Ohioans Without College Degrees

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today,U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) hosted a news conference call with Ohio business and economic development leaders to discuss his new legislation that would remove degree requirements for federal jobs unless necessary for the position, and take additional steps to make it easier for Americans without 4-year degrees to get federal jobs. Brown introduced the Federal Jobs for STARs Act of 2024 to expand opportunities for Ohioans who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) like military service, training programs, community college, or on-the-job experience.

"Everyone should have the opportunity to join the middle class, regardless of whether or not they have a college degree. We need to end arbitrary degree requirements that shut too many Ohioans out of good jobs," said Brown. "This legislation will expand career opportunities for skilled, experienced Ohioans who have gone to community college or a trade school, who have on-the-job experience, or who have served in the military. If you can do the work, you should be able to get the job."

"The Federal Jobs for STARS Act moves the government closer to what we see our employers doing to focus even more on credentials and skills and less on long-term degrees to fill their workforce needs for a growing number of jobs," said Steve Millard, President & CEO of the Greater Akron Chamber. "Recognizing other kinds of education, experience, and credentials can be more than enough to do the work in many jobs and will better position over 170,000 Greater Akron residents for opportunities."

Audrey Treasure, Executive Director at the Workforce Innovation Center at the Cincinnati Regional Chamber said, "In the Cincinnati region, finding and retaining talent remains employers' top priority. Our region has nearly 500,000 workers who are STARs, with skills and experiences that can meet employers' needs while they work to advance their lives. The Workforce Innovation Center partners with employers to think more broadly about how to solve their workforce challenges and improve our economy, and we are grateful to Senator Brown for drawing attention to this important issue."

Specifically, the Federal Jobs for STARs Act of 2024 would:

• Require the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to improve transparency and directives to federal agencies regarding educational requirements for civil service positions;

• Direct OPM to review the addition of degree requirements to federal jobs during their audits of hiring actions at federal agencies;

• Streamline the job search functionality on USAJOBS to more easily filter for positions available to workers who are skilled through alternative routes other than college; and

• Direct OPM and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to conduct a feasibility study regarding resources required to establish a program (e.g., fellowship, apprenticeship, tuition assistance, etc.) to provide STAR employees with pathways for acquiring further training and higher education if the employee chooses to pursue them.

Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

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