Infosys hiring push includes workers without traditional STEM degrees

Dive Brief:

Infosys will hire 12,000 more U.S. workers over the next two years, bringing its total commitment to 25,000 over five years — including "individuals without traditional four-year degrees," it announced Sept. 1.
As part of the hiring program, Infosys will also train and reskill hires through its Reskill and Restart initiative, which it launched in July.
Infosys has opened six Technology and Innovation Centers in the U.S, including locations in Indiana, North Carolina, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Texas and Arizona -- locations largely outside of "traditional tech hub geographies," according to the press release.

Dive Insight:

The job market has begun its recovery from the sudden crash in March prompted by COVID-19 shutdowns, leading to announcements such as Infosys’. "Our commitment to creating 12,000 new American jobs comes at a critical moment as the COVID-19 pandemic has created economic turmoil," said Ravi Kumar, president of Infosys.

But this move also emphasizes a push across the tech industry to relax academic requirements to broaden hiring horizons. Some employers may be limiting their options by seeking out only candidates with formal degrees, a white paper from Alexander Mann Solutions noted in February. In response, more companies are offering upskilling programs specifically for workers not in a STEM profession, akin to what Infosys seeks to offer through its Reskill and Restart Program.

Job requirements may need re-evaluation, according to a February Chamber of Commerce Foundation report; many hiring decision makers value skills over degrees, despite credentials still being part of job requirements. A Qlik survey from September 2019 noted that most respondents see practical experience as a more reliable way to assess data literacy for hiring than a college degree in STEM or data science. Despite this, many employers may be behind in offering on-the-job training; half of those surveyed in the Qlik study said they don't offer workers data literacy training, and only 34% have these training programs in place.