Minnesota Governor Removes 4-Year Degree Requirement For Job Seekers

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz removed a big barrier for people interested in working for the State.

Walz signed Executive Order 23-14 called 'Improving Access to State Employment' yesterday which will remove the four-year degree from a large portion of state jobs. In the order Walz says, "Unfortunately, for many Minnesotans, barriers to state job opportunities persist. Some job postings state that a college degree is required, even if a degree is not necessarily needed to succeed in the job."

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The State of Minnesota has nearly 38,000 employees, making it one of the largest employers in the state, and like many businesses and other municipalities, the state is struggling to recruit and retain employees, so this move should make it easier for the state to fill available positions.

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The state says it tries to retain 75% of new hires for at least two years and giving employees an opportunity to advance is a big part of that, in a recent Statewide Employee Engagement and Inclusion survey they found out that only 56% of respondents are satisfied with career advancement opportunities in state government, so they have some work to do, and this change may help with that.

State hiring has reached a five-year high as Walz says, "So long as there are unnecessary barriers to state employment opportunities, the state will not be well positioned to recruit, advance, and retain the workforce needed to deliver uninterrupted, high quality, and effective services and programs to Minnesotans."