I know many non-degree system admins at the large, blue in color fortune 500 
company I work for in Chandler. Most were probably hired when the economy was 
booming back in the 90s and skilled IT people were in short supply. If they 
were applying today I suspect they would have a much harder time getting in.

It really comes down the the hiring manager. I've seen managers do their 
initial resume screen by throwing out every resume that does not have a 4 year 
degree, and I've seen cases where we receive only 3 applications and everyone 
gets interviewed.

 



On Jan 13, 2012, at 8:11 AM, Kevin Fries <[email protected]> wrote:

> This requirement comes from the same place as most requirements of this ilk.  
> Plausable deny-ability. 
> 
>   - We need a qualified programmer
> 
>   - HR does not know (and often neither does the hiring manager, or policy 
> maker) how to assess programming skills.
> 
> By requiring a degree, you can't fire the people that implemented this 
> policy... after all, they hired someone qualified, right?  Its not their 
> fault if the programmer doesn't work out.  But without a degree... well then 
> what were you thinking.
> 
> So... its a CYA move by incompetent people, trying to hire for a skill they 
> don't understand.
> 
> The last company and current company.I work for both hired on skills and 
> treasure their IT staff.  They both understand how hard it is to find good IT 
> people, and few ever leave.
> 
> I look as the manditory IT degree as a sure sign that this is not a good 
> company to work for... and I am right more than I'm wrong.
> 
> Just my $0.02
> 
> Kevin
> 
> On Jan 13, 2012 7:56 AM, "keith smith" <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I'm wondering if anyone knows where the degree requirement came from for 
> developers.
> 
> In the early 80's there were very few computer courses available.  I talked 
> with a guy in about 1988 who told me he was a math major because that was the 
> closest thing to a computer science degree in the 70's and early 80's.  
> 
> I read that in the early 80's businesses were offering classes in 
> programming.  The example I read said the course was 6 weeks long.  The 
> graduates were give high paying jobs.
> 
> The interesting part is I was attending college in the early 80's.  At the 
> UofA intro to computers was a FORTRAN programming class.  Then a class in 
> COBOL.  It was mostly a business degree with an emphasis on programming.   
> 
> I'm curious if anyone knows why corporate America requires a degree to be a 
> programmer.  The degree does not open the door.  Skills do.
> 
> Do system administrators need degrees? 
> 
> As far as I'm concerned a degree in and of it self means nothing.  I've 
> worked with and know people who do not have a degree that can run circles 
> around some with degrees.
> 
> Just curious where that requirement came from.
> 
> ------------------------
> Keith Smith
> 
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