More than half of Canadian hiring managers believe skills learned through informal online platforms are credible, yet most still prefer candidates with formal education, according to a new survey from Express Employment Professionals and Harris Poll.
The survey, conducted in November 2025, found 51 per cent of hiring managers consider self-taught skills credible, while 61 per cent still prefer formal education. Just 11 per cent now favour self-taught learning over traditional credentials, and 28 per cent value both equally.
Younger workers driving the trend
Self-taught learning is growing fastest among younger Canadians. The survey found 60 per cent of Gen Z workers report teaching themselves skills online, compared to 34 per cent of millennials, 19 per cent of Gen X and 12 per cent of boomers or seniors. Nearly one-third of job seekers (31 per cent) are now listing self-taught skills on their resumes, with men (34 per cent) more likely than women (27 per cent) to do so.
Job seekers are divided on whether this helps or hurts them. Fourteen per cent say self-taught skills help them stand out, while 19 per cent believe they may hurt their chances.
Proof matters more than platform
Hiring managers say resumes alone are not enough to evaluate informally acquired skills. Eighty-six per cent say seeing how skills were used, or how they would be applied, is more effective than reviewing a resume.
When asked what builds their confidence in a candidate with self-taught skills, hiring managers pointed to:
- References who can speak to their work (46 per cent)
- Demonstrated industry knowledge (42 per cent)
- Completion of a work sample where self-taught skills were used (34 per cent)
- Clear explanations of how self-taught skills were applied (33 per cent)
Hiring processes slow to catch up
Most companies have not yet updated their hiring processes to account for self-taught skills. Twenty-three per cent of hiring managers say their company has already made changes, while 41 per cent say updates are planned. Thirty-six per cent say there are no plans to change. Larger employers are leading the shift, with 30 per cent reporting updates compared to 19 per cent each for medium- and small-sized businesses.
AI pushing workers to keep learning
AI is also changing how workers prepare for their jobs. Two-thirds of job seekers (67 per cent) say AI advancements make them more likely to pursue additional training, and 66 per cent say it is appropriate to learn professional skills using AI. Men are more likely than women to pursue further training (72 per cent vs. 62 per cent) and to endorse AI-based learning (72 per cent vs. 58 per cent).
“Self-learning is opening doors for workers everywhere, but it also raises the bar,” said Bob Funk Jr., CEO, president and chairman of Express Employment International. “Job seekers must be ready to demonstrate their abilities right away, and employers should update their hiring practices to evaluate the skills people gain on their own. As self-taught learning becomes more common, refining how to assess these skills will help employers make better, more confident decisions about the talent they bring on board.”
The Job Insights survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll from Nov. 3 to 19, 2025, among 504 Canadian hiring decision-makers. The Job Seeker Report was conducted from Nov. 7 to 21, 2025, among 502 Canadian adults aged 18 and older.
