Nearly half of vacancies in Flanders require no diploma or work experience

A recent analysis reveals that nearly half of job vacancies in Flanders no longer require a diploma or previous work experience. As companies struggle to find new talent due to labour shortages, they are increasingly prioritising skills and competencies over formal qualifications.

In Flanders, there has never been such a high number of job openings that require neither previous work experience nor a diploma, according to an analysis by HR company Acerta, based on data from the Flemish employment agency VDAB. The share of vacancies without work experience requirements has risen from 33.7% in 2016 to 48.1% in the first eight months of 2024. Similarly, the proportion of vacancies that do not require a diploma increased from 40.8% in 2016 to 49.1% in the first half of 2024.

“Many companies today focus more on the skills and competencies needed for a role, rather than on diplomas or previous experience. Through training and retraining, they help employees advance in their positions,” says Acerta Consult. In addition, due to the ongoing labour shortage, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit new staff and are thus more flexible in their search for new talent, the report explains.

This trend is particularly noticeable in sectors with numerous vacancies, such as construction and healthcare, where job requirements are being relaxed. In the construction sector, the percentage of vacancies without experience requirements has increased from 20.2% in 2016 to 37.3% in 2024. Over the same period, vacancies without diploma requirements have risen from 41.6% to 57.3%.

In healthcare, which also faces staff shortages, it is not always possible to relax requirements. There is especially little flexibility when it comes to diploma requirements. However, the share of healthcare vacancies without experience requirements has grown from 55.4% in 2016 to 72.3% in the first eight months of this year.

^{#FlandersNewsService | A construction worker © BELGA PHOTO BERNAL REVERT}