Should college degrees be required for middle skill level jobs?

American companies have a problem. Over the past decade, they have begun to demand a bachelor’s degree in hiring workers for jobs that traditionally haven’t required one. This uptick in credentialing, or “degree inflation,” rested on the belief that these college-educated employees would be smarter, more productive, and more engaged than workers without a degree. That said, the pool of college graduates is limited. Only a third of the US adult population has earned a four-year degree. The result is a misalignment between supply and demand for these kinds of jobs.

Source: Why Employers Must Stop Requiring College Degrees For Middle-Skill Jobs

There is definitely a disconnect between job descriptions and actual skills required. I see this all the time in technology hiring where the job requirements are unrealistic, 4 years of experience in a tool that’s only been out for three for example.

What’s the solution? HR needs to examine what the requirements of a job should be. Is a bachelor degrees required to do the work?