Degrees, Credentials, and AI Fluency: What Today’s Job Market Is Really Asking For

Outside the New York Public Library, for a crossover episode between EdTech Connect: Innovators in Conversation and EdTech on the Street in the City That Never Sleeps, I met with Olivia, our Partnerships Lead, and Vrijen, the CEO and co‑founder of Careerspan, to discuss what is changing in education, workforce readiness, and the role of AI in all of it.

It was a lively conversation full of insights and serious truths about where the job market is heading.

Degrees Are Losing Weight, but Credentials Aren’t a Silver Bullet

The introduction of AI has sparked a lot of discussions about whether a traditional four‑year degree holds the same value it once did. The data tells a clear story: fewer job postings list a degree as a requirement, and more states are removing that barrier from public sector jobs. At the same time, the rise of micro‑credentials has not solved the problem.

Olivia noted a Burning Glass study suggesting that only about one in eight credentialing programs leads to measurable career growth.  That makes the credentialing market tricky because it’s full of opportunity, but uneven in quality. The message is clear: not all credentials are created equal, and students need better guidance on which ones will move the needle.

Skills‑Based Hiring Needs a Better “Handshake”

Both Vrijen and Olivia touched on the same theme: skills-based hiring sounds great in theory, but it only works if there’s strong communication between educators, credentialing programs, and employers. Right now, that “handshake” is missing.

Employers want recognizable, consistent signals of skills. Learners need programs that align with those expectations. And as Olivia pointed out, it’s not enough to tell students to be “lifelong learners.” We have to build systems that make learning accessible, visible, and valuable in real time.

AI Fluency Is the New Hard‑to‑Measure Soft Skill

We could not avoid the elephant in the room: AI. Everyone agrees that AI fluency is becoming one of the most important skills in the workplace, yet it is hard to define and even harder to measure.

AI is not like coding, where mastery can be assessed through projects or exams. It is closer to communication or structured thinking. That makes it both essential and slippery. Credentials might say “AI‑ready,” but do they capture deep understanding? Too often, hiring systems reward keywords rather than capability.

Culture, Curiosity, and Psychological Safety

One of the most refreshing parts of the conversation was when we shifted from programs to people. Real workforce transformation does not come only from a new certificate or tool. It comes from building cultures of learning.

Employees need the freedom to experiment, the flexibility to learn at their own pace, and the psychological safety to explore without fear of failure. Employers need to recognize that supporting skill growth is not charity. It is directly tied to productivity and long‑term value.

As Vrijen put it, we should not hand people more tools and deadlines. We should meet them halfway and align learning opportunities with natural curiosity.

The Opportunity Ahead

Yes, internal mobility platforms often fall short. Yes, micro‑credentials aren’t always effective. But those gaps are where the opportunity lies.

For motivated learners, there has never been a better time to leap forward. For employers and education providers, there has never been a greater responsibility to create systems that make those leaps possible.

The future of work is not just about technology. It is about humans building cultures where curiosity, resilience, and real skill development can thrive.

Filmed live at the New York Public Library, NYC. Part of the EdTech Connect: Innovators in Conversation collaboration with Careerspan and a crossover with EdTech on the Street – Real Talk in the City That Never Sleeps by Magic EdTech.