Delaware has been changing its strategies to hire more employees, and its most recent tactic includes eliminating the college degree requirement for some positions. | PHOTO COURTESY OF AB&C
WILMINGTON — Some state government offices will no longer require bachelor’s degrees for 350 positions, under a policy change implemented by Gov. John Carney on Jan. 10.
The Carney administration announced Wednesday that the state has eliminated the degree requirement for positions in the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families (DSCYF) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS), which encompass six Family Services classifications.
Instead, relevant work experience and other studies throughout the applicant’s career would be taken into account. The state Department of Human Resources also simplified the application.
“These important, practical changes will expand our talent pool and give more qualified people the opportunity to pursue a career in state government,” Carney said in a statement. “By aligning job requirements with professional experience and putting more focus on each candidate’s skills, we will better serve Delawareans.”
One of the key changes includes reducing the job requirements from five to one for family service assistants and specialists. The first entry-level position allows for the pool to be expanded with experience or expertise.
In the 1990s, the state added a bachelor’s degree requirement to dozens of positions. Human Resources Secretary Claire DeMatteis has been reviewing requirements across state government and making adjustments as needed since she was appointed to the post.
“Our review and practical experience show that a bachelor’s degree may be an unnecessary barrier to hiring otherwise qualified professionals,” DeMatteis said.
DeMatteis’ office said that since the bachelor’s degree requirement was eliminated, the number of qualified candidates applying has quadrupled.
DHSS is the state’s largest health and social work agency, with 11 divisions and 3,085 employees as of fiscal year 2022. DSCYF provides services to children who are neglected, mentally ill, or struggling with other issues. It has 1,080 employees. However, not all of these positions require bachelor’s degrees.
“Delaware has implemented a multi-pronged strategy to address our hiring challenges. Removing the college degree requirement for certain positions is just one facet of our approach,” said Ashley Blok, Delaware’s director of human resources. “We have launched an extensive marketing campaign emphasizing competitive salaries, signing bonuses, comprehensive health care benefits, retirement plans and an enhanced hiring process.”
Delaware also recently eliminated the bachelor’s degree requirement for 210 positions in the classifications of probation officers, human resources advisors and human resources analysts.
In total, 560 jobs have been affected by the review.
In response, the Delaware General Assembly passed a resolution seeking to quantify how the college degree requirement serves as a deterrent for statewide positions, as well as where it is necessary. House Concurrent Resolution 76 directs the state Department of Human Resources to issue a report on hiring and promotion practices, specifically in jobs requiring degrees.
The resolution also seeks to outline the findings of an 18-month review of state positions and how this requirement may impact both DSCYF and DHSS, as well as make recommendations for moving toward similar changes in other state positions.
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