> 2) Which companies (just for examples) don't require it?

Forgot to mention--my local LUG was often attended by people from local
software development firms, ISPs, and IT departments. If you're not a
member of a LUG yet (or some other computer-related club), signing up for
one and getting to know these people is a good way to get a professional
network started :) They can also help guide you on your future career
choices, and even help you get jobs with them.

On Thu, Nov 12, 2015 at 2:49 PM, Jude Nelson <judecn@???> wrote:

> Hi Mitt,
>
> Questions:
>> 1) Are there many people without degrees in the industry?
>>
>
> Most software engineers I know have at least a minor in computer science,
> but have at least a BS or BA in some engineering discipline if they don't
> have a BS/BA in computer science. I have met a few really proficient
> self-taught developers, but they are the exception, and they almost always
> had a leg-up from someone else. Every large company I have worked for
> required a degree from its software engineers.
>
>
>> 2) Which companies (just for examples) don't require it?
>>
>
> Anyone you can convince to hire you :) I'd go for start-ups and smaller
> shops, since the hiring processes there probably won't be so impersonal as
> to automatically ignore your application simply for lack of a degree.
> Smaller shops will ask to see a portfolio of previous work (like the stuff
> on your github), or ask you to do a small week-long project with some of
> the other employees in order to judge how proficient you are when you're in
> your element.
>
>
>> 3) Are there any hobbyists around here, that earn some money from
>> coding?
>>
>> From what I've heard, universities here teach something that is
>> obsolete and is not used anymore, or simply don't teach what we do
>> here (Unix, administration, hardware...).
>>
>
> I've had experiences writing software both with and without a formal
> education. I'm of the opinion that if you go to university in order to
> acquire a formal background in computer science, then it's worth every
> penny. This is because a formal background helps you understand both
> theory and practice from first principles. Once you can understand it from
> first principles, it becomes a lot easier to pick up new skills, and makes
> it possible to design long-lasting low-maintenance software that won't need
> to be rewritten from scratch every few years. It also gives you the
> ability to look at trends in the industry and tell the difference between
> what's fundamentally new, what's a passing fad, and what's snake-oil. Of
> course, the mileage you get out of it depends on how thorough you were in
> making sure you understand all the material.
>
> If you instead want to focus more on learning specific skills, you might
> want to consider going to a community college and getting your associate
> degree. It's a lot less expensive than university, and faculty usually
> come from an industrial background and can share their real-world
> experiences with you. There will almost always be more hands-on courses
> available than at university, such as on things like systems
> administration, Unix, mobile app development, game development, and
> preparation classes for particular certifications. One nice thing about
> community college is that if you decide later that you want to go on to
> university, most universities will accept some/all of the credits you
> earned at your community college (but double-check this first!). For
> example, both of my parents and my brother got their bachelor degrees by
> doing two years at community college and two years at university.
>
> If you do go the university route, you should go to a non-profit,
> regionally-accredited one [1], and if at all possible, you should
> physically attend (even if it means a long commute). Also, you'd be amazed
> at how many scholarships go unclaimed each year.
>
> -Jude
>
> [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_accreditation
>
>
>> Thanks for any kind of information,
>>
>> Mitt
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>
>