Transformative Data Infrastructure Partnership Enables Skills-First Hiring at Scale

In collaboration with Opportunity@Work, Lightcast embeds STARs insights directly into industry-leading workforce data software, revealing qualified, underutilized talent for millions of roles.

MOSCOW, Idaho and WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightcast, the global leader in labor market analytics, and the nonprofit social enterprise Opportunity@Work announced a strategic partnership today to give HR and workforce development decision-makers a fuller, more accurate, and more inclusive picture of the labor market.

A new filter in the Lightcast Analyst platform utilizes AI and skills intelligence to identify jobs that could be filled by STARs—workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes—instead of requiring a bachelor's degree. By making it easier for employers to move from degree-based to skills-based hiring, Lightcast and Opportunity@Work are tearing the paper ceiling by unlocking new opportunities across the labor market.

Over 70 million Americans—representing 50% of the US labor force—do not have a bachelor's degree, but have gained skills through pathways such as community college, workforce training, bootcamps, certificate programs, military service or on-the-job learning. Opportunity@Work's research has proven that millions of STARs possess the skills required for higher-wage work, yet, they have been systematically excluded from career advancement opportunities, held back by the "paper ceiling" – the invisible barrier of degree screens and biased algorithms that blocks their access to better jobs. The field-building research developed by Opportunity@Work now has real-world implementation through the same Lightcast ecosystem that already powers workforce decisions at the world's largest companies.

In March, Lightcast customers will be able to see STARs-friendly postings in all versions of its flagship software platform, Analyst. This simplifies the process of removing degree requirements, which then expands the potential talent pipeline for those roles, and also offers new opportunities to workers who would otherwise be filtered out.

Skills-first hiring offers employers a more effective, data-driven approach to talent strategy—one proven to expand the talent pool, improve the quality of hires, and reduce turnover. This new STARs filter allows hiring managers and talent leaders to focus on the capabilities required to do the job—rather than proxies like degrees—and helps companies develop strategies to find the right people faster and more fairly while driving long-term performance gains and retention.

"It's time for skills-first data to become standard workforce infrastructure," said Papia Debroy, Chief Impact Officer of Opportunity@Work. "For years, we've been raising awareness for STARs – their skills, and their potential and the opportunity employers unlock when they hire for what workers can do. Now, through our partnership with Lightcast, we are translating that awareness to action – embedding skills-first insight directly into the systems that shape hiring decisions. When employers hire for performance rather than pedigree, everyone benefits. Now, we're making that shift possible at scale."

Across the Lightcast Analyst platform (Analyst, Talent Analyst, and Developer), users can now apply the STARs filter in the same way that they have long been able to filter job postings by geography, education, and salary requirements. Other Lightcast offerings, including the Job Postings API, Job Postings Data Share, eIMPACT data visualizations, and Professional Services, will also offer data on STARs.

"By adding STARs insights directly into Lightcast job market data, we're giving customers a clear, data-driven way to see high-paying roles that can be designed and filled without a four-year degree" said Cara Christopher, CMO of Lightcast. "Over 6.5 million reports were delivered through our Analyst platform last year, and we identified over 17 million new US job postings that require a bachelor's degree. If even a fraction of those jobs go to STARs, we'll have made valuable progress in building a job market that works for everyone."

"When people who have the necessary skills are screened out of the hiring process, it's unfair to the individual and a disadvantage for the employer, because it narrows the view of available talent. A skills-first approach is a practical necessity."

While Lightcast and Opportunity@Work have collaborated for years—through the Tear the Paper Ceiling coalition and joint research—this integration signals a shift from experimentation to market-ready infrastructure, enabling skills-first hiring to be applied consistently across roles, teams, and organizations.

About Lightcast
Lightcast is the global leader in labor market intelligence, empowering smarter decisions for businesses, education institutions, and governments worldwide. With the world's most comprehensive database—spanning over 3 billion job postings, 500 million career profiles, and 100+ government sources—Lightcast delivers unparalleled insight into skills, jobs, companies, professional profiles, and workforce trends across 165 countries. Our proprietary taxonomies, advanced AI, and expert guidance transform complex data into clear, actionable intelligence.

Lightcast has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, and India. Learn more at lightcast.io

Press Contact: JP Lespinasse
Phone: (208) 883-3500
Email: [email protected]

About Opportunity@Work
Opportunity@Work is a 501(c)3 nonprofit social enterprise on a mission to rewire the labor market so all Americans can work, learn, and earn to their full potential. Our work advances economic opportunities for the 70+ million U.S. workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) instead of through a bachelor's degree. Our goal is to enable upward mobility for 1 million STARs by opening up 10 million jobs, and boost their earnings by 100 billion dollars by 2035. Learn more at opportunityatwork.org

‍Media Contact: Cheston McGuire
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Lightcast