Higher education has always been considered a vital stage in building pretty much any career. Even today, when our world has gotten much more flexible in any terms, there is still this firm belief that one can barely find a well-paid job and succeed without a college degree.
This belief has been imposed on each of us since early childhood. We are being raised with a very specific life model in mind. First, you have to study at school and get high grades, then you have to enroll in college and pursue a career, in which you will be developing and climbing the career ladder.
Most students firmly believe in this model, which often causes them lots of headaches. In an attempt to build a solid base for their future success, they spend hours in a library, not getting enough sleep, give up on their health, and often turn to essay service just to keep their head above water. However, is it still a necessity or just an imposed idea?
In fact, things don’t have to be this way any longer. You may be surprised by how many well-paid jobs you can acquire without having a degree.
IT Professional: Courses vs. College Degree
For decades, attending college has been considered a top-priority matter. However, today, things are changing way too fast. And this gives us much more freedom of choice than we’ve ever had.
If you decided to opt for a career in IT, one of the key questions you may be pondering about is whether you should go for higher education or just take some relevant courses. To find the answer, let’s first consider some of the core pros and cons of going to college:
Pros:
- Gain a complete education;
- Make a good addition to your resume;
- Unlock more job opportunities in the future;
- Get a valuable new experience;
- Networking.
Cons:
- Lots of stress;
- Takes four or more years to complete;
- Student debt/loan;
- Many great famous specialists from various fields have proven that success is possible without a diploma.
Looking at these points, you can clearly see that there are both pros and cons of attending a college. Now, to move on, let’s dispel some common myths. But before you can get some support from cheap essay writing service Canada – they’ll provide you with quick research in an hour.
As we’ve seen from examples of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and a whole bunch of successful and famous people who lack a college degree, not getting higher ed isn’t a sentence to an unhappy or unsuccessful life. This becomes especially relevant when talking about some modern professions.
While there is no doubt that such specialists as doctors must get a higher education, exceptions apply to jobs that don’t require this level of responsibility (in terms of someone else’s life). And, despite a common belief, this applies to the IT industry.
The main myth is that you have to possess a four-year degree in computer science or related area to break into this sphere. However, we are ready to dispel this myth. In fact, the things you need to know to build a successful career are not only taught in college. What’s more, modern employers look more into candidates’ skills and knowledge and often don’t care about educational credentials as much as you may think.
Is Diploma a Necessity?
Now, here is the truth – most jobs in IT don’t require a diploma. That is, candidates are not obliged to spend two or even four years of their life pursuing higher education. Some of the jobs that fall into this category include cybersecurity, web development, software development, help desk support, mobile app development, etc.
To confirm the above-mentioned statement, just look at the majority of job listings. If you look up IT opportunities posted online, you can see that in the education line most employers only ask for a high school diploma or GED. In most cases, all you need is to prove that you can do the job. That’s pretty much it.
Yet, while higher education may not be a must-have, to become a good specialist, you may want to consider at least some kind of education. That’s where professional courses join the game.
A Case For Courses
In many cases, getting certified from some courses is enough to get a job. Now, let’s look at some of the pros and cons of this type of education.
Pros:
- Less time required to complete a program;
- A flexible and personalized learning experience;
- A possibility to study from home;
- Unlock a wide range of job opportunities.
Cons:
- Lack of 1-on-1 teaching;
- Lack of networking;
- Requires solid personal discipline to complete.
Based on everything that was said earlier, we can conclude that both higher ed and courses can give you the path to a career in IT. Both options have certain pros and cons. So, eventually, it all gets down to your personal preferences. If you feel like you need a diploma, you can go for it. And if you believe that a course certificate should be enough, you can choose this path.
The key thing to keep in mind here is that courses may not be a good option for everyone. Especially if we are talking about online courses. These require utmost dedication and discipline, as well as strong time management skills. But, it still makes a good option for those ready for this challenge.
How to Get Into IT Without a Degree: Top 5 Tips
According to stats, about 26% of IT specialists do not hold a BA (or higher level) diploma. This sounds pretty inspiring. But, how did they do it?
Now, you know that landing an IT job without higher education isn’t as hard as it seems. However, you may need a few extra tips to succeed:
- Acquire and enhance some transferable skills, such as creativity, problem-solving, attention to detail, and similar.
- Do lots of research and get advice from industry specialists to level-up.
- Get certified to have some proof of your skills and experience.
- Practice your tech skills until you get confident and comfortable with everything you do.
- Work on open-source and freelance projects to expand your experience and create a portfolio.
