What Is More Desired, The Person With A CS Degree Or The Self Taught?
Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion about the degree versus no-degree topic in the tech industry. It seems like a debate that has emerged not out of necessity, but rather as a product of human nature’s tendency to create conflict when there’s little else to dispute. This often happens in areas where there’s minimal disagreement; someone will invariably introduce a contentious issue, adding a bit of drama to our lives.
A Rapidly Changing Field
The tech industry is known for its rapid evolution. Consequently, the information acquired in college may become outdated even before graduation. Pursuing a Computer Science degree and being self-taught share two critical aspects. First, both require dedication and effort to acquire knowledge. Second, they provide a foundational understanding of the relevant technology.
The Base Layer
Having a fundamental level of knowledge is essential, regardless of the learning path chosen. Many successful tech professionals establish this foundation early in their careers. I view these basics as the pillars of technology. These pillars vary across different tech fields and evolve over time.
In coding, for instance, certain languages have stood the test of time and are widely used, forming these pillars. Once a programmer grasps the essentials or becomes proficient in these foundational languages, they can easily navigate most other coding aspects, whether new or old.
Pillar languages for coding could include:
- Python
- JavaScript
- SQL
- NoSQL
This list is not exhaustive, but it illustrates a point. Numerous technologies have stemmed from these languages, influencing new developments, libraries, AI, web development and even robotics.
Understanding these pillars is crucial, whether you’re a Computer Science graduate or self-taught through platforms like Udemy and YouTube. If you grasp these fundamentals, you’ll comprehend the basis of many technologies and can build upon that. Of course, there are exceptions and niche technologies, but they remain just that—outliers.
Understanding these pillars is crucial, whether you’re a Computer Science graduate or self-taught through platforms like Udemy and YouTube. As you can see from the StackOverflow 2023 Survey above, 80% of those surveys said they are learning to code from resources such as videos like Youtube. Learning to code from College Universities and Online courses such as Udemy and Coursera are almost tied at 50% each.
The point is, if you grasp these fundamental base technologies, you’ll comprehend the basis of many technologies and can build upon that. Of course, there are exceptions and niche technologies, but they remain just that—outliers.
Always Adapting
The ability to “expand from there” is vital. The tech industry is ever-evolving, necessitating the continuous acquisition of new skills. Awareness of emerging libraries and languages is crucial, especially if they’re gaining traction in your field or desired workplace. Adapting to these changes is essential. Knowing SQL and Python is excellent, but you must be willing to embrace shifts in the industry.
I recall working with a highly skilled colleague who excelled in specific tasks. For example, her proficiency in Excel was remarkable. She knew all the shortcuts and could create a model from data faster than anyone I have seen. However, our work wasn’t limited to her skill set. The firm frequently used Microsoft Access for large datasets, a tool she was unfamiliar with. Despite her intelligence, she was unwilling to learn Access. I’ll admit, Access can be quite boring, but is for the most part not difficult once you take the time to learn it. Manager and partners would have datasets in Access and needed an analysis and queries performed, but those tasks needed to be moved to someone who took the time to learn those Access skills. This limited her effectiveness and ultimately leading to her departure. This situation highlights the importance of being open to learning new skills.
Other Skills Are Needed
This isn’t the only understanding someone needs to be successful in their career whether it be in tech or other fields, there is a base level of understanding on certain topics that most successful people have such as communication techniques. Unfortunately most of these skills aren’t taught in primary school or college. These skills are unfortunately only acquired when you seek them out or have extensive experience. But how do you know what to seek when you don’t know what you don’t know.
I will be writing about those skill sets next so you don’t have to learn the hard way through failed experiences. So stay tuned.
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Thanks for reading.
