REC Podcast: Talking Recruitment

Episode 91: Beyond the degree – rethinking skills, apprenticeships and recruitment

Does every role that asks for a degree really need one? In this episode of Talking Recruitment, Maxine Bligh, our Interim Chief Executive, is joined by Matthew Burney, Senior Talent Strategy Advisor at Indeed, to discuss how employers can broaden routes into work by looking more closely at the skills and capabilities a job requires.

Matt explores how apprenticeships are expanding into careers including finance, technology, data, HR and marketing. He explains why they should be part of planning a future workforce, with opportunities for career changers and older workers as well as young people starting out.

Using the example of a retail manager moving into an operations role, Matt shows how degree requirements and demands for direct industry experience can obscure transferable skills. The conversation considers when qualifications are necessary, how recruiters can help clients assess capability, and why the ability to learn and adapt matters as jobs change.

They also discuss AI in applications and interviews, including helping candidates explain their experience, offering guidance on using AI tools and asking applicants how they used them. Throughout, the focus is on designing hiring processes that give people a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they can do and support a good experience for candidates, recruiters and hiring managers.

Host: Maxine Bligh, Interim Chief Executive, REC
Guest: Matthew Burney, Senior Talent Strategy Advisor, Indeed