Technology companies are increasingly lifting college degree requirements in the face of ever-evolving tech skills and a competitive market for talent, a report from Boston-based Harvard Business School and the labor data firm Emsi Burning Glass found.
"The accelerating rate of technological change is reshaping skills requirements faster than providers can respond," the authors wrote. "That further worsens the shortage of skilled talent with or without a degree — especially in jobs based on digital technologies."
In response, multiple tech companies have said they will prioritize skills over academic accomplishments. IBM and Accenture have made the most notable changes, the report said.
Apple and Google, while still relying heavily on degree requirements, both had a nearly 20 percent reduction in the percentage of job postings asking for a bachelor's degree. The study did not find a similar change at Facebook, Intel or Microsoft.
However, the report noted IT occupations still require college degrees at a higher rate than the national average.