The Alder Hour with Matt Alder

#27 - The Rise of 'New-Collar' Jobs and the Fall of Degree Requirements

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With Matt Alder out this week, guest host John Baldino joins Rhona for a special takeover they’ve officially dubbed The Baldino Hour. Together, they bring energy, opinions, and sharp takes on what’s next in HR and talent.

Special guest Enrique Ruiz, Founder of STRM, joins the conversation to explore how HR teams can lead through uncertainty and innovation — and why the best workforce strategies today are all about clarity, agility, and human connection.

Here’s what’s covered in this episode:

  • 📉 Degrees vs. Skills: Why companies like Udemy are eliminating degree requirements — and what that signals about how hiring is changing.
  • 🧠 HR Strategy in the Age of AI: Enrique Ruiz offers his take on how HR leaders can balance tech and humanity to build resilient, people-first organizations.
  • 🎯 Defining “People Strategy”: Enrique unpacks what strategy actually looks like in practice, and why alignment between HR and business outcomes is everything.
  • 📆 SHRM 2025 Preview: From Jason Sudeikis keynoting to podcasting booths and ice cream socials, the crew highlights what to expect this summer in Vegas.
  • 🧢 New Collar Jobs: The “Trending or Ending?” segment dives into the rise of nontraditional career paths and whether the term “blue collar” is officially out.

    • Plus: Enrique teases his upcoming podcast with Purple Acorn and invites listeners to send in their questions and topics using https://sayhi.chat/allinrecruiting.


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    The Alder Hour with Matt AlderBy Purple Acorn