Programmers do you need a degree

deadfingers

First off I am sorry if this is in the incorrect forum but I have a friend who wants to work in development the only problem is, is that he has no third level qualification. I have recommended that he do some course's and try and get Microsoft certified or some java cert, but will all this be to waste because he does not have a third level qualification. The option to return to college or night class's for a couple of months is not really an option as he is just after buying a house and has a young child. I have a degree in computer science and most of the stuff i use everyday in work is self taught!

GoneShootin

You need a degree to get a *job*
MSCE & Sun type certs will help you to get a *job as a programmer*

Problem is though is that if you do not have a degree, employers may not see you as a viable promotable person. Alot is made of the fact that the worst managers are the best programmers, because that is all they were trained to do. A degree may show an openess to other avenues of work such as Team Management etc.

In the sort term, many job specs require a non college programming qualification alone so finding a job shoudl be fine. I would recommend doing an I.T or University qualification in the meantime, part time perhaps. He should not limit himself so early in his career.

This forum may have been a more suitable place.

amen

I think u need to a degree to help you get the job but do u need a degree to do the job ? definatley not.

Just to note I work in a medium IT consultancy and approx 5% of programmers have CS/IT degrees nearly everyone lese has Eng/Phy/Mat degress and these ppl are generally better programmers than CS/IT degrees.

I am rapdily coming to the conclusion that there are a lot of ppl with CS/IT degrees that are totally useless (same in other disciplines but doesn't seem to be as many)

The Corinthian

amen wrote:

I think u need to a degree to help you get the job but do u need a degree to do the job ? definatley not.

I’d agree. I’ve known many good programmers who don’t have any kind of IT qualification, let alone degrees.

However a degree will keep you in the running when someone is whittling down a pile of 200 CV’s deciding which ones will go to interview and it will be seen as a prerequisite for any senior position in a firm. What the degree is in becomes pretty much immaterial after working for a few years (actually, if your degree is in business you’ll actually have an advantage).

I am rapdily coming to the conclusion that there are a lot of ppl with CS/IT degrees that are totally useless (same in other disciplines but doesn't seem to be as many)

That’s unfortunately because a lot of CS/IT courses indirectly encourage cut ‘n paste assignments. Actually the best programmer I have ever met had a degree in English literature.

DC5_ITR

i don't have a degree either - i loathed school tbh. i've been in the industry a good few years now and it's mostly been trial and error and self taught. if he want's to try a career in it without the "paperwork" then a genuine interest in it would be a real neccessity to motivate u to go "the extra mile" and make yourself learn the stuff. a microsoft cert in .net would go a long way with a few companies but there's plenty of "purists" that would disagree.

jc94062

The best programmer I've ever met doesn't have a degree, in anything.

He has a fair few pieces of paper from courses, and a heck of a load of experience, but because of the lack of degree only got where he is (into the computing field) by knowing a few people and taking some chances on a start up company.

themole

deadfingers wrote:

First off I am sorry if this is in the incorrect forum but I have a friend who wants to work in development the only problem is, is that he has no third level qualification. I have recommended that he do some course's and try and get Microsoft certified or some java cert, but will all this be to waste because he does not have a third level qualification. The option to return to college or night class's for a couple of months is not really an option as he is just after buying a house and has a young child. I have a degree in computer science and most of the stuff i use everyday in work is self taught!

the main point which doesn't seem to have been touched on so far is what does he know?

does he have any experience?

can he program?

there are lots of companies who would hire someone with experience over a graduate.

in the end if he does not know how to do some programming already with possibly some experience then no employer will be willing to train him from complete scratch and will hire a graduate.

however, is he does know how to program i would advise looking for jobs. if he can't get his foot in the door then its time to think about a degree. if he does get in the door he can always do a degree or some other kind of qualification part time while working.