On Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:51:23 +0300
Mitt Green <mitt_green@???> wrote:

>
> Hi everyone‎,
>
> This is offtopic. I'm interested in whether college or university
> degree is necessary to work in IT industry (of any kind: admin,
> embedded systems developer, driver developer, mobile systems,
> consulting, hardware etc).
>
> Questions:
> 1) Are there many people without degrees in the industry?
Yes.


> 2) Which companies (just for examples) don't require it?
My experience is small companies whose HR departments are overshadowed
by the owner who writes the checks either don't require it, or you can
see the right person to get it waived. Big organizations: If they have
a degree requirement and your resume says you don't have a degree, it
goes right in the trash can, and you have zero percent chance of
getting the job.

A couple more things. My guess is that if you don't get a degree, this
will limit your prospects for the rest of your life. There will be some
jobs where you get instantly deleted, even if you just wrote the latest
and greatest mobile app.

On the other hand, unless you're very rich, the debt incurred getting
the degree will limit your prospects for the next decade or so, and may
lead to lower salaries and higher workloads because you're too desperate
during salary negotiation.

If you're willing to work for small companies, I think there's always a
place for a non-degreed person. And of course, you can always go into
business for yourself.

You know when I'd start looking to go to college? When you start seeing
gaps in your foundational skillset --- not the language de-jour, but
your foundational software knowledge. Basic algorithms, data structures
and object principles. When you need to be able to predict the
performance of various sort routines. That kind of thing. I mean, when
you're really into it, when you really love it. When you're like that,
you'll be the top student in the class, you'll do extra credit
projects, you'll rub elbows with the top students and faculty in your
school, and you'll get your money's worth.

Obviously, all of this is my opinion.

SteveT

Steve Litt 
November 2015 featured book: Troubleshooting Techniques
     of the Successful Technologist
http://www.troubleshooters.com/techniques