More companies dropping college degree requirement

[Cow Poke]

More companies dropping college degree requirement for new hires

No diploma? No problem.

More and more companies are scrapping college degree requirements for jobs. They're not saying you shouldn't seek higher education, but not having a degree won't be a barrier for you to work in certain jobs at their companies.

Some of the 15 big companies saying "no bachelor's degree is fine" include Google, Nordstrom, Bank of America, Ernst & Young, IBM and Apple.

The changes are coming as job seekers, as well as high school graduates, consider whether college is worth the skyrocketing cost.

[Leonhard]

Good. I whole heartedly support that. You don't need a computer science degree to program Android or iPhone apps, which is what most comp sci. masters end up doing anyway.

[Cow Poke]

Good. I whole heartedly support that. You don't need a computer science degree to program Android or iPhone apps, which is what most comp sci. masters end up doing anyway.

This is something I have been advocating for a long time -- when you get a degree in computer science, for example, the actual workfield has advanced so far beyond what is being taught by instructors who really have no idea what's going on in the real world...

[Leonhard]

This is something I have been advocating for a long time -- when you get a degree in computer science, for example, the actual workfield has advanced so far beyond what is being taught by instructors who really have no idea what's going on in the real world...

You should study comp. sci if you wanna become a researcher and do high level abstract stuff. Fiddling with mathematical models of how to do things. There's a place for researchers like that, but its not a requirement to be a researcher to do 98% of all the plumping code that needs to be written in order for an ATM to print out the right receipt, or to get games to work, or planes to fly.

There are shorter IT focused hands on programming and software development education.

I know I haven't, and likely won't ever, get to use anything I learned in college. If I could go back in time, grab my younger self I'd tell him it wasn't worth the time. I learned a lot, and it was awesome, but its seven years (changed studies underway). I could spent three years learning software, got hired and been earning more money than I'm doing now, and doing that for years.

[Cow Poke]

You should study comp. sci if you wanna become a researcher and do high level abstract stuff. Fiddling with mathematical models of how to do things. There's a place for researchers like that, but its not a requirement to be a researcher to do 98% of all the plumping code that needs to be written in order for an ATM to print out the right receipt, or to get games to work, or planes to fly.

There are shorter IT focused hands on programming and software development education.

I know I haven't, and likely won't ever, get to use anything I learned in college. If I could go back in time, grab my younger self I'd tell him it wasn't worth the time. I learned a lot, and it was awesome, but its seven years (changed studies underway). I could spent three years learning software, got hired and been earning more money than I'm doing now, and doing that for years.

OK, time again for the CLASSIC....

[One Bad Pig]

My current job is completely unrelated to my degree; I learned everything on the job.

[Cow Poke]

My current job is completely unrelated to my degree; I learned everything on the job.

I don't know what the current number is, but the percentage of persons actually employed in their field of study has always been very low.

[Zymologist]

I don't know what the current number is, but the percentage of persons actually employed in their field of study has always been very low.

[Leonhard]

Of course companies also have a responsibility in taking in people and training them up. They can't keep asking for people with twenty years of experience, never taking in interns, and suddenly wonder why there's a dearth of engineers.

[Mountain Man]

My current job is completely unrelated to my degree; I learned everything on the job.

Quite often a college degree is simply regarded as proof that the person is disciplined and has a good work ethic, which is what employers tend to value over any particular knowledge the candidate might possess.

[Leonhard]

Quite often a college degree is simply regarded as proof that the person is disciplined and has a good work ethic, which is what employers tend to value over any particular knowledge the candidate might possess.

It did help me get a foot in the door. I will say that much.

[Cow Poke]

Quite often a college degree is simply regarded as proof that the person is disciplined and has a good work ethic, which is what employers tend to value over any particular knowledge the candidate might possess.

Yes, the proverbial "foot in the door".

[Sparko]

My current job is completely unrelated to my degree; I learned everything on the job.

Same with me. I have a degree in electronics but most of what I know about computers is self-taught and ALL of what I know about litigation support is on the job learning. Basically I just impressed them with my knowledge of computers and of graphics and video, and the fact that I actually researched the programs used in lit support before going to the interview so I would know some of what they were talking about.

I tend to like to learn and study various topics and fields. My boss referred to me as his swiss army knife, if he has a problem he can just throw me at it and I will figure it out.

[Cow Poke]

Same with me. I have a degree in electronics but most of what I know about computers is self-taught and ALL of what I know about litigation support is on the job learning. Basically I just impressed them with my knowledge of computers and of graphics and video, and the fact that I actually researched the programs used in lit support before going to the interview so I would know some of what they were talking about.

I tend to like to learn and study various topics and fields. My boss referred to me as his swiss army knife, if he has a problem he can just throw me at it and I will figure it out.

Yeah, when I worked for the gas compression company, I was "that guy" ... I'd tell the boss "I think we ought to do this", and he would say "make it so!"

[Sparko]

Yeah, when I worked for the gas compression company, I was "that guy" ... I'd tell the boss "I think we ought to do this", and he would say "make it so!"

I have always been a Jack-of-all-trades-Master-of-none. I want to know how everything "works" - I was the kid that took everything apart growing up. I was into electronics, physics, biology, mechanics, etc. I never take the time to become a "leading expert" in anything because I will get bored and move onto something else. That is pretty much my "weakness" - So I have ended up with a very broad but not especially deep knowledge base.