A recent analysis shows that nearly 50% of job vacancies in Flanders no longer require formal qualifications or prior work experience. With labor shortages becoming more acute, companies

are increasingly focusing on skills and competencies over traditional credentials.

According to HR firm Acerta, which analyzed data from the Flemish employment agency VDAB, the share of job openings that do not demand previous experience has surged from 33.7% in 2016 to 48.1% in the first eight months of 2024. Likewise, the percentage of vacancies that do not require a diploma has grown from 40.8% in 2016 to 49.1% in the same period this year.

"Many employers are now prioritizing the specific skills and competencies required for a job, rather than focusing on diplomas or prior experience," explained Acerta Consult. "Through training and retraining, companies help employees progress in their roles." The ongoing labor shortage has pushed companies to become more flexible in their recruitment efforts, broadening their search for new talent.

This shift is particularly evident in sectors with a high demand for workers, such as construction and healthcare, where job requirements are being relaxed. In the construction industry, the proportion of vacancies that don’t require work experience has increased from 20.2% in 2016 to 37.3% in 2024, while the number of vacancies without diploma requirements has risen from 41.6% to 57.3%.

In healthcare, where staff shortages are also prevalent, relaxing job requirements is more challenging. Diploma requirements, in particular, remain rigid. However, the share of healthcare vacancies without work experience requirements has significantly increased, from 55.4% in 2016 to 72.3% in 2024.

As companies continue to adapt to the labor market challenges, this trend toward greater flexibility in job requirements is expected to persist. Photo by Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding (VDAB), Wikimedia commons.