Georgia Senate advances bill cutting college degree requirements for state jobs

A Georgia Senate committee is advancing a bill that would instruct an agency to examine qualifications for state government jobs and not require a college degree unless truly necessary.

The Senate Government Oversight Committee on Monday voted for Senate Bill 3, sending it to the full Senate for more debate.

The bill calls for the state Department of Administrative Services to try to reduce training, experience and educational requirements for jobs and reduce jobs that require a four-year college degree.

Sen. John Albers, a Roswell Republican sponsoring the measure, said that the reexamination is needed.

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“Where we used to mandate a college degree for almost everything, now we’re looking at that differently, either through technical school or certifications,” Albers said.

Georgia would be one of a number of states to make the move. Others who have done so include Maryland under Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and Colorado among Democratic Gov. Jared Polis. It’s a reaction to difficulties in attracting workers in a tight labor market, the high cost of college, and Republican distrust of the ideological effects of college education.

Some studies also show that private companies have reduced requirements for college degrees.