The utility of credentialism for professional positions lies in the cost of required skill assessment Vs. the size of the talent pool. You can afford a fast fil

The utility of credentialism for professional positions lies in the cost of required skill assessment Vs. the size of the talent pool. You can afford a fast filter like a college degree if you have a surplus of candidates. Especially if it generally is good indicator of cognitive ability, which OP admits it probably is. A small pool of talent for niche requirements, will require significant adjustment and resources in assessing each individual that applies. Some of the most hardworking people where I worked had a completed degree. Filtering people because they do not have X degree of Y years of experience is not right morally, but this is understandably done out of practical concerns. Nobody likes it but talent acquisition is expensive enough as it is.