I've read at least one article lately blaming this on requirements for hiring. - Lapsody

------------------

That was my experience too. I was an IT manager and many of the very best systems programmers and network guys I had working for me didn't have degrees. But when it came tie for a new hire, we had no choice but to go through HR who provides us a "service" by screening resumes and they were filtering out non degree applicants. Our job descriptions had to specify college degree as the educational requirement in order justify the high salary grade it took to get people with the necessary skills, but these skills were not taught in college. A catch 22 situation.

We finally wised up by appending "or equivalent experience" to the college requirement. Since there were a lot of acronyms and technical jargon in those jobs, HR was in no position to evaluate experience, so they more or less had to send us all the applicant resumes they received since we spoke the language.