Once upon a time, a university degree was a golden ticket into the employment sector.

A first-class graduate with a crisp and fresh résumé in hand could walk into an interview and walk out with a job. The rules were simple: if you studied hard and earned the right credentials, the world would open its doors for you. However, that reality is fast changing.

Picture this: two candidates sit in the waiting room of an organization for the same position. One has a first-class degree in Business Administration from a prestigious university. On the other hand is a self-taught marketer who learned digital campaigns through online courses, freelance gigs, and countless late nights experimenting and practicing on social media. When the employer calls, it’s the self-taught candidate who gets the job. Surprising? Probably. Unfair? Not exactly.

Today’s job market no longer runs on just qualifications; it thrives on competence. It's no longer about what an individual studied, it's about what problems can be solved through that individual. Paper qualifications still matter, but skills are fast becoming the ultimate differentiator.

Qualifications Still Matter

Qualifications are far from useless. They are a representation of years of study, discipline, and intellectual advancement. They provide a pathway to better career opportunities and lead to greater financial security.

Qualifications also help with personal growth, professional development, and establishing a stable career path. They are often the foundation upon which skill is built. Education often shapes critical thinking, problem-solving, and research abilities.

Qualifications were meant to serve as a filter, a way for employers of labour to identify suitable candidates who had gone through due process.

However, the truth is that the speed of today’s world has outgrown traditional education systems.

A four-year curriculum can hardly keep up with industries that evolve every six months, and so, what's being taught in lecture halls often lags behind what’s happening in the real world.

Technology, innovation, and job markets are evolving at a pace that the traditional syllabi cannot possibly match. This mismatch then creates a skills gap, as education systems often focus on content memorization as opposed to the critical thinking, adaptability, and digital literacy needed for jobs.

That’s where skill steps in. Employers are starting to realize that while degrees provide a foundation, skills deliver adequate results. And, in a world driven by performance and innovation, results speak louder than certificates.

“The world of work is evolving faster than our curricula,” Professor André Roux of Stellenbosch Business School warned. “We must teach students how to learn, unlearn, and relearn. That is the only way to future-proof their careers.” He further stated.

The Rise of Skill-Based Hiring

The shift toward skill-based hiring across industries is a revolution. It involves prioritizing a potential candidate's practical abilities and competencies over traditional hallmarks like degrees and job titles. This new approach focuses on what a person can do using assessments.

The drive behind this approach is due to the rapid pace at which technology is advancing, making skills more relevant than ever before. For example, instead of requiring “a degree in marketing,” employers now ask for “proven experience in managing social media campaigns” or “proficiency in data analytics tools”, all in a bid to ensure that they get satisfactory results.

This shift has also been amplified due to the rise of digital platforms which have made learning and opportunities more open and accessible to everyone. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy and LinkedIn Learning, to name a few, allow anyone from anywhere to acquire the same knowledge once reserved for prestige classrooms. Now, a skilled person from Lagos can now compete with a Harvard graduate for a freelance project in London, and sometimes, emerge with a win.

On freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, demonstrable skill is prioritized. Clients care more about what can be delivered than what was studied in the four walls of the university.

Major corporations are also switching their hiring practices. Tech giants like Google, Apple, IBM, and Tesla have publicly declared that they no longer require degrees for many roles. Instead, they prioritize skills, experience, and problem-solving abilities on a practical level.

The shift is even more pronounced in creative industries. A portrait photographer with a stunning Instagram portfolio, a content writer with a viral Substack essay, or a video editor with an impressive TikTok reel often has more leverage than someone with a diploma but no digital footprint. All these are proof that it’s not just about what you know anymore, it’s about what you can show.

kills Alone Still Need Balance

Despite the growing shift, it is worth acknowledging that prioritizing skill alone isn’t the best path. Education provides foundational knowledge, critical thinking abilities, adaptability, and personal character development that skills training alone may lack.

A balanced approach helps to ensure that individuals are not just job-ready but also equipped to handle complex, real-world challenges beyond a particular job description. Education also helps to provide the right context and depth for skills to be applied effectively.

Case in point, while a self-taught designer may thrive creatively, structured education instills discipline, ethics, and theoretical understanding that would be otherwise unavailable. Qualifications provide a way to understand not just how things work, but why.

Combining both will make an individual a seasoned professional in today's market, possessing both the credibility of qualification and the agility of skill. One without the other can cause limitations.

This goes to show that balance is key. Skill activates knowledge, not replaces it.

The Future Belongs to the Skilled

The message to young professionals and graduates is simple: don’t just chase degrees, chase growth. Study to apply and not just to pass. Dedicate yourself to everyday learning.

The world is moving fast, and the only way to stay relevant is to keep learning, adapting, and proving yourself because the future will not wait. The future belongs to the adaptable, the curious, and the skilled.

Initiative is now being rewarded, so it's sacrosanct to build a personal brand, constantly demonstrate your capabilities on the digital space, learn continuously, and offer value wherever you go. In this era, your skills are your voice and your portfolio is your passport.

Since the world no longer asks where you studied, the question now is: What can you do?