State of the Paper Ceiling
These past 30 years have seen the construction of a paper ceiling - an invisible barrier limiting opportunities for STARs - workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes. The exclusion of half of all workers from good jobs has had devastating consequences for individuals, families, businesses, and our social fabric.
The State of the Paper Ceiling measures our collective progress and points the way to a better future for millions of STARs.
We are in a moment of opportunity
Over the past five years, Opportunity@Work and our partners in the workforce field have changed the conversation about workers, skills, and economic mobility.
At a time when many experts were lamenting a “skills gap” in the U.S. labor market, we highlighted an "opportunity gap." Through a rigorous skills analysis, we proved that worker skills are not lacking -- in fact, millions of STARs are qualified for higher-wage work. Instead, a variety of barriers to advancement have created a "paper ceiling" that holds STARs back.
Now, as awareness of STARs as a talent category is rising, and a skills-first movement is growing, the country is in a position to rewire the labor market so STARs can work, learn, and earn to their full potential. Let’s seize this moment.
We're moving the movement
Opportunity@Work and our network of private sector, public sector, nonprofit and workforce partners are positively impacting STARs' mobility.
Employers are opening jobs to STARs
Across the U.S. labor market, those STARs able to transition to a higher-paying job increased their individual wages by more than $14k in 2023.
STARs experience better mobility within our networks
Employers partnering with Opportunity@Work created 48% more mobility for STARs in 2023
76,000+ STARs were hired or promoted in our network of partners.
10 million STARs can move to higher-paying jobs by 2030
The STAR Mobility Compass offers a look forward at the possibilities that emerge if we work together to move towards a labor market that better accounts for worker skills.
Broader pathways can open opportunities for 3.1M STARs
Fairly compensating valuable skills could raise wages for 5.3M STARs
New-to-world jobs can open opportunities for 1.8M STARs
The STAR Mobility Compass identifies 30 good-paying jobs for STARs - jobs that pay middle-wage and offer access to higher-wage jobs.
By increasing the STAR share of hires into these roles by small amounts over the next five years, these roles could collectively present opportunities for 3.1M STARs to move to higher-paying, mobility-creating jobs.
Low wage does not equal low skill. In fact, many low-wage jobs have skills profiles that are identical to higher paying roles.
In a well-functioning labor market, workers with in-demand skills would exit low-paying jobs for higher paying ones. However, multiple inefficiencies in the labor market are inhibiting this kind of mobility and allowing for the undercompensation of valuable skills.
The STAR Mobility Compass identifies five jobs that, if compensated commensurate with similarly skilled work, would transform these jobs into gateways rather than deadends.
Over the next five years, there are projected to be 6.4M new jobs that have not existed before. As technologies evolve and artificial intelligence changes the way many tasks are done, new roles will emerge that no workers have prior experience performing.
Based on historical data, we estimate that about 80% of these new-to-world jobs will pay high wages. The STAR Mobility Compass shows that, with intentional hiring practices, 35% of these new-to-world high paying roles can be filled by STARs, adding 1.8 million new good jobs for STARs.
STARs Share Their Stories
Find out how Army veteran Micah built his own business from the ground up and how problem-solving became the foundation of everything he's built.
Micah
See how Sean's STAR status led to his thriving career as a 3D chalk artist and ice and snow sculptor on his own terms.
Sean
See how Lakisha built a successful administrative career through sheer work ethic and the hard-won confidence to know her own worth.
Lakisha
Find out how a childhood love of food inspired Mark's culinary management career, built entirely through empathy, practice, and hard work.
Mark
See how Dalton is building two careers at once through hands-on learning and how he's channeling his emergency response skills into a growing media platform.
Dalton
Read about how Erika's STAR status and hands-on experience earned her a quality Technician role and how she continues to defy expectations every day.
Erika
See how Sam applied decades of relentless curiosity and hands-on learning into a career that defies any single job title.
Sam
Read about how Thaddaeus's STAR status landed him a position as a university IT Specialist, where his self-taught tech skills and passion for helping others are his greatest credentials.
Thaddaeus
See how Army veteran Kent built an entire tech career through mentorship, persistence, and problem solving.
Kent
Find out how Katy made one of the most unexpected career leaps around, and now helps others do the same.
Katy
See how Lynnette turned a hobby into a business while embracing entrepreneurship in retirement.
Lynnette
Find out how Barbara's STAR status guided her career within the nonprofit sector and how lived experience can be the most powerful credential of all.
Barbara
Find out how Carmen is building toward owning her own home health agency, one skill at a time, without a four-year degree.
Carmen
See how military veteran Quinn is challenging employers to value experience over credentials.
Quinn
Read how Daquan's self-taught skills as a home health aide and carpenter built a career that no one can ever take away from him.
Daquan
Find out how Tadarius turned a moment of crisis into a calling, guided by lived experience and hard-earned certifications.
Tadarius
Read about Mary's philosophy on people-first leadership and how integrity and empathy can define a career, even without a degree.
Mary
See how Elizabeth found her calling as an employment counselor, helping formerly incarcerated job seekers reclaim their futures.
Elizabeth
Find out how self-advocacy and a self-taught mindset launched Debrena's QA engineering career.
Debrena
See how learning to fail became Ricky's secret to building a career in acting and coaching.
Ricky
See how Robert's work ethic carried him from a skate shop to corporate merchandising and shaped him into an empathetic leader.
Robert
See how Carol built an art business entirely on her own terms by utilizing her strong work ethic and on-the-job experience.
Carol
Read about how Reyna's STAR status is leading her path toward computer science and a dream of building a platform for low-income youth, powered entirely by grit and on-the-job learning.
Reyna
After observing how firms overlooked colleagues without degrees, see how Sharon transitioned into her role as Billing Coordinator by investing in herself at every turn.
Sharon
Read about how Erin's STAR status landed her a position as an Internal Audit Manager... without a bachelor's degree.
Erin
Partners making an impact
Organizations in Opportunity@Work's networks have proven that hiring STARs benefits everyone, paving the way for true systems change through scalable solutions.
A dedicated sales academy opens doors for STARs while meeting key business needs.
Microsoft
A statewide policy shift removed degree requirements and expanded opportunity for workers across Maryland.
State of Maryland
How data and employer collaboration are shaping inclusive talent strategies in a transitioning economy.
Detroit Regional Partnership
Join the movement
Systems change cannot happen without large scale investment from our country's philanthropic leaders.
