AI STARs Filter Simplifies Skills-Based Hiring

AI STARs Filter Makes Skills-Based Hiring Easier for Employers

HR Tech

Business Honor
23 January, 2026

Lightcast and Opportunity@Work let employers hire skilled STARs without degrees, using AI to expand talent and improve hiring.

Opportunity@, a nonprofit organization, and Lightcast, a world leader in labor market analytics, have together transformed decision-making in the workforce. Through their partnership, companies may use the Lightcast Analyst platform's AI-powered skills-based hiring software for employers to find positions that STARs, workers skilled through alternative routes, can fill without a bachelor's degree.

Despite not having a four-year degree, almost 70 million Americans, or half of the country's workforce have gained expertise through local colleges, workforce training, boot camps, military service, or job training. Millions of STARs are qualified for jobs with greater salaries, but the "paper ceiling" of degree requirements and biased algorithms prevents them, according to research from Opportunity@Work.

Degree obstacles can be easily removed with the STARs filter, which is suitable for all versions of Lightcast Analyst. Employers can increase their talent pipeline optimization tools, improve hire quality, and reduce turnover by focusing on the skills needed for a position. It improves the impact of data-based HR analytics by combining with Lightcast's workforce analytics solutions, like the Job Postings API, eIMPACT visualizations, and professional services. “Using AI tools for talent-based recruitment directly into hiring systems helps employers hire for performance, opening opportunities for millions of workers," stated Papia Debroy, Chief Impact Officer at Opportunity@Work.

“The integration of STARs data helps businesses find well-paid roles that do not require a degree, creating a more accessible labor market," said Cara Christopher, CMO of Lightcast. This partnership suggests a future in which skills-first workforce planning software will be accepted, moving skills-first hiring from research to infrastructure ready for the market. The labor market is predicted to grow more diverse, effective, and performance-focused as companies use AI and analytics to hire people based on ability rather than qualifications.