From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpaper qualificationspaper qualificationsSEan expression meaning documents showing that you have passed particular examinations, used specially when you think that experience and knowledge are more important Paper qualifications are no guide to ability. → paper
Examples from the Corpus
paper qualifications• This change puts at greater risk those working-class boys and girls who fail to acquire any such paper qualifications.• This new pressure, in fact, comes from the very success of more children gaining paper qualifications.• As an employer, I find that paper qualifications are no guide to ability.• These paper qualifications help them get jobs and make careers out of our needs.• After acquiring the relevant paper qualifications in 1979 I got my first sales and marketing job in 1980.• Later generations of women have been catching up with their male contemporaries as far as the acquisition of paper qualifications is concerned.• She had no paper qualifications, no special skills and only a vague notion that she wanted to work with children.• Lack of formal paper qualifications to obtain good jobs is no deterrent at this stage. 