Finish Your Diploma Campaign Toolkit
Here you'll find resources to help extend and amplify this important campaign. You can help us tear the paper ceiling by raising awareness of STARs – workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes rather than a bachelor's degree – and the benefits of skills-first hiring.
We have included campaign PSAs, outreach tips to engage your networks, and more. Whether you’re sharing online, in your workplace, or with local partners, these resources will help you join the movement to tear the paper ceiling and expand opportunity for more than 70 million skilled workers across the country.
We have included campaign PSAs, outreach tips to engage your networks, and more. Whether you’re sharing online, in your workplace, or with local partners, these resources will help you join the movement to tear the paper ceiling and expand opportunity for more than 70 million skilled workers across the country.
About the campaign
America has a labor supply and demand mismatch: employers are struggling to find qualified workers, yet millions of STARs – workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes – are automatically filtered out just because they don’t have a bachelor’s degree.
The Skills-First Hiring campaign raises awareness of the "paper ceiling" – the invisible barrier that comes at every turn for workers without a bachelor's degree. This barrier blocks over 70 million STARs from access to higher-wage jobs, and it holds employers back from finding skilled, qualified candidates.
Opportunity@Work and the Ad Council have partnered on the Skills-First Hiring - Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign. Visit TearThePaperCeiling.org to learn more about the benefits of skills-first hiring.
The Skills-First Hiring campaign raises awareness of the "paper ceiling" – the invisible barrier that comes at every turn for workers without a bachelor's degree. This barrier blocks over 70 million STARs from access to higher-wage jobs, and it holds employers back from finding skilled, qualified candidates.
Opportunity@Work and the Ad Council have partnered on the Skills-First Hiring - Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign. Visit TearThePaperCeiling.org to learn more about the benefits of skills-first hiring.
Resources to amplify the campaign
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Campaign review sheetA one-page overview that includes background information on the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work's Skills-First Hiring campaign.
Download the campaign review sheet. -
Campaign fact sheetLearn more about STARs, the paper ceiling, and why skills-first hiring matters.
Download the campaign fact sheet. -
Language best practicesMessaging tips to help you talk about STARs, the paper ceiling, and more.
Download language best practices. -
Press releaseRead our press release for information on the most recent Skills-First Hiring creative launch.
Read the press release. -
How to get PSAs placedTips on how to engage local media relationships about the campaign and secure donated placements for PSAs.
Download the tips. -
Media outreach languageRecommended language to use when engaging local stations and media outlets about the campaign.
Download media outreach language. -
Other linksTear the Paper Ceiling campaign website: https://www.tearthepaperceiling.org/
Opportunity@Work website: https://www.opportunityatwork.org/
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the high school equivalency campaign?
- TBD
Contact
For inquiries on the toolkit, contact Lauren Kim, Assistant Campaign Manager, the Ad Council, lkim@adcouncil.org. For questions related to specific media requests, you may also contact the Ad Council media team.
