'It's a bit like musical chairs right now': Big employers like Google, IBM no lo...

Dropping your kid off at college has long been a milestone for parents just as much as their teens. But is getting a degree going the way of bell bottoms, cable television and calling someone on the phone?

With a strong economy and an excess of jobs with few workers to take them, big companies like Google, IBM and Delta Air Lines have eased up on educational requirements in an effort to find hires based on skills and experience instead.

With a four-year degree perhaps seemingly not as crucial for Americans climbing the career ladder as it once was — young people might be rethinking the need for higher education as well.

“It's a bit [like] musical chairs right now,” says Alicia Modestino, an associate professor and labor economist at Northeastern University. “We're seeing a lot of people shift jobs, move up in the labor market. That’s great.”

However, she warns that with the Fed raising interest rates in an effort to quell inflation, Americans need to be prepared for the job market to slow in the coming months.

“Pretty soon the music's going to stop — so you want to have someplace to land that's going to be good for the long term.”

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Employers responding to tight labor market

The tech industry in particular has been struggling with a talent shortage since pre-pandemic times.

Google and 150 other companies use the tech giant’s online college-alternative program to train and hire entry-level workers, reports The Wall Street Journal. And according to CNBC, IBM doesn’t ask for a bachelor’s degree for half of its U.S. roles.

Bank of America also doesn’t request college degrees for most of its entry-level jobs, while Delta says degrees for pilot applicants are “preferred” but not required.