Public Allies Joins National Movement 'Tear the Paper Ceiling' to Expand Opportunities for over 70 Million U.S. Workers

More than 80 employers, training providers, and nonprofits nationwide join forces to support workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs)

MILWAUKEE, WI, UNITED STATES, February 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Public Allies joins a national coalition led by nonprofit organizations the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work as part of the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign. The landmark campaign calls on employers and decision makers to embrace skills-first hiring practices and unlock the potential of the more than 70 million workers in the U.S. who do not have a bachelor’s degree, but are instead Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs)

STARs make up half the U.S. labor market, yet they face a “paper ceiling” — the invisible barrier of degree screens, biased algorithms, stereotypes, and limited professional networks that block access to higher-wage jobs. Over the last 40 years, the wage gap between STARs and workers with bachelor’s degrees has doubled. STARs’ exclusion hurts businesses too, artificially limiting their talent pool.

Along with Public Allies, Tear the Paper Ceiling is supported by a coalition of leading national private sector and nonprofit organizations ranging from Fortune 100 employers to philanthropies and workforce development organizations. Together, the coalition is leading the way in building a labor market that recognizes the tangible benefits – to workers and to businesses – of valuing skills from every route. These paths can include community college, workforce training, certificate programs, military service, on-the-job learning, or apprenticeship programs like the one operated nationally by Public Allies.

“We are proud to join this powerful coalition. For over thirty years, Public Allies has helped thousands of aspiring young Americans get on successful pathways to careers serving their communities in the nonprofit sector, “ says Jenise Terrell, CEO of Public Allies. “We’ve witnessed firsthand the systemic barriers that STARs can face in the workforce. The work that TTPC Coalition is doing is an important step in dismantling these barriers and the false narratives that impede economic justice for all Americans.”

Since 1992, Public Allies has been supporting the values of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), promoting lived experience and proximity to the challenges that nonprofits address, over paper degrees. Public Allies sees assets where others see deficit, and with this lens, Public Allies has launched the careers of over 10,000 individuals who might have otherwise been overlooked for leadership opportunities.

Organizations, employers, STARs, and other individuals can join the movement by visiting TearThePaperCeiling.org to share their stories, sign a pledge to support STARs, and learn more about how to adopt and promote skills-based hiring practices.

About Public Allies
Public Allies is a national nonprofit whose mission is to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it. Since 1992, Public Allies has helped thousands of emerging leaders serve our country, get on successful pathways to higher education and careers, and bring communities together to work for the common good.

Nina Koh
Public Allies
ninak@publicallies.org
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