Don't bother with that degree, say IT pros

[klr]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/30 ... it_degree/

Learning to code in your bedroom will prepare you for the IT job market just as well as a three-year degree costing £27,000, professionals said in a survey published today by CWJobs.co.uk.

More than half the IT professionals polled said they would not do an IT-related degree today if they were paying the increased fees, which will come into force next year.

Of the 1,300 questioned, 45 per cent said they feel a degree in computing is no longer valuable for securing a career in IT, and 71 per cent stated that self-taught developers are as skilled as those with formal training or education.

Many in industry were worried about the negative impact of tuition fees on the industry, with 64 per cent of respondents stating that the increased tuition fees will drive UK students abroad.

University tuition fees will rise to up to £9,000 a year from 2012.

Some of the (many) comments - linked to in the article - are worth a read.

[Pappa]

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

[klr]

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

Good point. Academic curricula frequently lag behind technical advances/labour market reality. It's not just that technologies change so quickly, but also because of personal/cultural inertia or resistance. Some academics just couldn't be arsed/aren't able to upskill themselves as they ought to.

And of course if you're a student, that degree or diploma you got (say) five years ago might now be largely irrelevant. Compared to academic programs in other fields, there might be little long-term return for several years of study.

[Azathoth]

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

I'm planning on going to the University of Reykjavík next year. Starts with C++. That is sensible. Learn how to do it properly then move onto the easy stuff, fuck Java.

[Kristie]

My hubby is a Systems Administrator and he has no degree. He's completely self taught. He does, however, say that certifications are valuable. The company he works for just purchased a corporate membership to a company that does certification courses. So for the next year he will be racking up certs without us having to pay for them, and without additional unnecessary classes like when going for a degree.

[Bella Fortuna]

My hubby is a Systems Administrator and he has no degree. He's completely self taught. He does, however, say that certifications are valuable. The company he works for just purchased a corporate membership to a company that does certification courses. So for the next year he will be racking up certs without us having to pay for them, and without additional unnecessary classes like when going for a degree.

My ex, too. He has a degree, but in nothing remotely computer related, yet he's always worked in the programming field.

[Clinton Huxley]

Programming is one of those things, like dressage, that can be learned in ones bedroom.

[Pappa]

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

I'm planning on going to the University of Reykjavík next year. Starts with C++. That is sensible. Learn how to do it properly then move onto the easy stuff, fuck Java.

I can understand why courses use Java, as the objective is to teach OOP principles and practices, which are readily translatable into any OOP language. But for me, it would probably have been wasted time and effort getting a CS degree (other than the benefit of having it on my CV).

[Don't Panic]

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

I'm planning on going to the University of Reykjavík next year. Starts with C++. That is sensible. Learn how to do it properly then move onto the easy stuff, fuck Java.

C++ is fun, I used to be fairly good back in college.

[klr]

Programming is one of those things, like dressage, that can be learned in ones bedroom.

... although thankfully without needing a horse.

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

I'm planning on going to the University of Reykjavík next year. Starts with C++. That is sensible. Learn how to do it properly then move onto the easy stuff, fuck Java.

I can understand why courses use Java, as the objective is to teach OOP principles and practices, which are readily translatable into any OOP language. But for me, it would probably have been wasted time and effort getting a CS degree (other than the benefit of having it on my CV).

I've never (formally) learned any C/C++ or Java. There is plenty of work where they are not required at all.

[Don't Panic]

Programming is one of those things, like dressage, that can be learned in ones bedroom.

... although thankfully without needing a horse.

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

I'm planning on going to the University of Reykjavík next year. Starts with C++. That is sensible. Learn how to do it properly then move onto the easy stuff, fuck Java.

I can understand why courses use Java, as the objective is to teach OOP principles and practices, which are readily translatable into any OOP language. But for me, it would probably have been wasted time and effort getting a CS degree (other than the benefit of having it on my CV).

I've never (formally) learned any C/C++ or Java. There is plenty of work where they are not required at all.

We had to do C as part of electronics, its used for pulling data from external sources for sensors and stuff.

[klr]

Yeah, but I'm a B.Comm. We luv COBOL.

[Svartalf]

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

Why don't use Java? Is it because you're in a sector where knowledge of COBOL is more useful, or is it you deem java a bad thing, or that its use is so rare in most areas of IT?

[Clinton Huxley]

Yeah, but I'm a B.Comm. We luv COBOL.

Hehe, COBOL. I love its brevity.

[Pappa]

Perhaps it says a lot about how irrelevant the content of many of the degree courses are too. I've looked into it several times but always felt that learning what I need right now to do the job at hand was more useful than spending a a few years getting a computer science degree, most of which would involve using Java, a language I'll likely never use.

Why don't use Java? Is it because you're in a sector where knowledge of COBOL is more useful, or is it you deem java a bad thing, or that its use is so rare in most areas of IT?

I work in web development. It's rarely used there.