Your skills matter more than where you got them.
STARs develop valuable skills outside of a college degree, and already help drive this region's economy. From healthcare to finance to roles in sales, LA-based employers that recognize STARs' skills will find a workforce ready for the jobs of the future.
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Hiring managers who start with skills are 60% more likely to find a successful hire.1
1.9 million
STARs in Los Angeles County
43%
of the entire LA County labor force are STARs
250,000+
high-mobility jobs posted in LA County in 2025
42%
of all LA County job postings are high-mobility openings
250k chances for STARs to make an impact
LA’s high-mobility job openings – meaning the job requires no bachelor's degree, pays at least two-thirds of the national median wage, and offers upward mobility – provide a quarter of a million opportunities for STARs to move up in their careers. Employers across key industries should look to STARs to fill open roles.
Health care and social assistance
24%
Professional, scientific & technical services
10%
Retail trade
10%
Manufacturing
9%
Finance and insurance
6%
Share of LA County high-mobility postings, 202502
STARs and companies share their paper ceiling.
Take action
If you
Hire Talent
To find the best person for the job, you have to look first at their skills. You can help break barriers for STARs - while also strengthening your team.
Three things you can do today:
- Pledge to see the value of STARs' skills
- Share your paper ceiling story
- Find resources for skills-first hiring
Researchers
There’s a growing body of research about workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs), but much more is needed. The STARs research community includes scholars across economics, public policy, data science, and organizational behavior who are studying questions to help understand impediments to—and opportunities for—STARs’ wage mobility.
Philanthropies
More than half the workforce is being left behind. Improving economic mobility for workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) can also advance efforts to reduce poverty, improve education, and address other systemic issues. Learn how Opportunity@Work is making tangible impact.
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