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" <klsmith2020@yahoo.com> 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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