Inspired and popularized by former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, the “new collar” workforce had emerged as one of the most powerful labor market movements due to the era of AI and the digitization of everything. With a renewed focus on skills-based training and hiring, traditional blue collar and white collar jobs are no longer the only options available to workers in fields like technology, healthcare, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.  

New collar talent focused on jobs that may not require an advanced degree for entry, but rather, short-term training, stackable industry credentials, and work-based learning like apprenticeships.

The New Collar Talent movement has evolved beyond a focus on nontraditional roles to become a powerful mindset rooted in inclusivity, lifelong learning, and skills-first thinking. It champions the idea that talent and potential are not defined by degrees but by a person’s ability to learn, adapt, and contribute meaningfully.

Today, this movement empowers individuals across all backgrounds—regardless of formal education—to access opportunity through practical skills, work-based learning, and alternative pathways. It’s reshaping how employers view talent and creating a more equitable and dynamic workforce for everyone.