Where did the degree requirement come from for programmers?

[Kevin Fries]

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 at 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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