We all hope for meritocracy and equal opportunity.

Holup tho. Bad managers in govt were too often found to have misused their unchecked hiring authority to bring in droves of family and friends and those of their buddies at the govt. The defense against these fiefdoms of low merit but loyal hires, was to to impose micromanaged credentials rules, including degrees. I'm sorry but this happened and happens, and now the defenses have been lowered. The shitty career managers in PA are going to possibly stuff all the openings with their favorites again, because they can, now.

The federal government hiring process by comparison is still stringent with requirements for credentials, because of bad past experiences with shitty management who hire whoever they want, instead of merit. Loyalty is often substituted to replace merit and capability. Legions of useless fiefdoms result when govt lifers are given full decision authority on hiring, and by useless I mean for the public they are hired to serve. A fiefdom is of great value to the hiring manager, and their buddies, not much else, because it keeps their gravy train running longer.

The fiefdom owners will quickly fill the jobs with loyalists, and, less openings will stay open for those with merit.