Certs VS Degree?
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Puddle Jumper
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Book smarts are wayyy different then real intellect. There's people who did really good at school and went to college and graduated that are working at mcdonalds and can't even figure out how to work thier new droid or cook or fix simple things around thier house. Those are the people who need college to even teach them anything. They have no capacity to learn on thier own. I've learned way more about computers on my own then I did at any classes I took. I learned three different router OSes in just 3 months in contrast to most people needing years to learn what I did. Just about everything I know is self taught. And look ma! No debt!
**** I've learned Revvit architecture studio in just 2 weeks and made my first buildings (one was a 4BR 2 BA complex futuristic house and the other was a 20 story office building that was complex in design) I made 20 total in 3 months when it takes most people at least a year to make thier first 5 buildings!!!!
It's always good to keep learning new things but just because you learned Revvit doesn't mean you can go and design someone a house now. There are many structural requirements, building codes, etc that you won't know without being educated on them. After all there is a reason Architects spend 5 years in school and don't just start designing houses for people out of the blue.
The book smarts vs street smarts argument can be debated endlessly so I wont get into that. However you can teach yourself all you want but if you send in a resume to a company like Google or Microsoft and don't have at least a bachelors they probably won't even look at it. In fact it's not uncommon for tech companies to have a policy that they only hire people with bachelors degrees in relevant fields.
remixedcat
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But sometimes the job can be easily done by people without the degree. Like for this pc repair job I wanted that was CompTIA A+ level they requires a bachelor's in computer science! For a entry level repair job!? That's overkill. Like hiring an army to kill a few mosquitos. Some companies demand too much just so they can keep thier status or something. There are so many techies like me that don't want the debt/stress associated with college and have the skills but no one will hire us and it ****es me off to no end!
Certs are more of the way to go.
I only understand college for high level job reqs, but for average jobs like Networking and PC repair and stuff like that it's overkill and elitist!
Certs are more of the way to go.
I only understand college for high level job reqs, but for average jobs like Networking and PC repair and stuff like that it's overkill and elitist!
Puddle Jumper
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That's exactly why degrees are important. Like it or not a lot of companies want people with degrees and since they are the ones with jobs you have to do what it takes to be hired.
MindoverMaster
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NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR-F & CH IT-SFTE-1.00-1ST SHIFT-WOODLAND PRIME-MENOMONEE FALLS WI Job in MENOMONEE FALLS 53051, Wisconsin US
Bachelor Degree
That is a REQUIREMENT. Without it, you will not get the job. No matter how much you learned yourself.
Bachelor Degree
That is a REQUIREMENT. Without it, you will not get the job. No matter how much you learned yourself.
ET/IT
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In the state of Washington, Technicians etc. they want Associates in Technical Arts.
Network Engineers, Computer Programmers, Engineers, Management, etc. all require Bachelors.
For jobs Technician level (anything below those mentioned above) (Network Administrators are the same as Network Engineers, just different in title only) Require Associate Degrees in Technical Arts. Why? Because they are purely emphasised in specifically Technician level duties.
There are places such as Microsoft, and Boeing, that will completely look passed a Bachelors in favor of an ATA in Networking, Electronics Technology, Computer Information Systems, etc. etc.
Bachelors are for Management positions etc. (Hense why so much of a typical bachelors degree in IT/ET emphasizes so much in Business courses.
As far as certifications go. They are proof you not only know the info, but you're competent in it. But at the same time, Associate in Technical Arts degrees, specific course work coincides with certification tests. i.e. after two classes, one can challenge Network+, A+, Security+, CETa, etc. etc. etc. One individual with an Associate in Technical Arts in Networking for instance, (like a local CCs program a close friend of mine is soon to finish coming the end of fall quarter) He'll have his CCNP, everything under CompTIA except PDI+. and will have FOT certs as well as Certified Satellite Installer Certifications. Why? Because every course in his ATA program was specifically designed towards CompTIA, ETA-I, Microsoft, and Linex Certifications.
If one has no plans on going beyond the Technician Level, Associates in Technical Arts will far exceed requirements. Of which, places like boeing, actually look past Bachelors degrees specifically in favor for ATAs. How do I know this? I asked them.
They'd rather have an applicant with an ATA in Electronics Technology, Computer Information Systems, Network Technician, or Computer Support, with certifications relating to the degrees rather than a Bachelors.
Because their Technicians are outside of management and engineering fields. And in fact, a Senior Boeing Network Technician, in a supervisory role makes well over $40 an hour. (For a Senior Technician) due to the certifications he/she will have by the time he/she reaches that level.
Places like Boeing, and Microsoft will even PAY for a Technicians further education above the Technician level. specifically based on their chain of advancement. Either case, they prefer ATAs over BSs.
Network Engineers, Computer Programmers, Engineers, Management, etc. all require Bachelors.
For jobs Technician level (anything below those mentioned above) (Network Administrators are the same as Network Engineers, just different in title only) Require Associate Degrees in Technical Arts. Why? Because they are purely emphasised in specifically Technician level duties.
There are places such as Microsoft, and Boeing, that will completely look passed a Bachelors in favor of an ATA in Networking, Electronics Technology, Computer Information Systems, etc. etc.
Bachelors are for Management positions etc. (Hense why so much of a typical bachelors degree in IT/ET emphasizes so much in Business courses.
As far as certifications go. They are proof you not only know the info, but you're competent in it. But at the same time, Associate in Technical Arts degrees, specific course work coincides with certification tests. i.e. after two classes, one can challenge Network+, A+, Security+, CETa, etc. etc. etc. One individual with an Associate in Technical Arts in Networking for instance, (like a local CCs program a close friend of mine is soon to finish coming the end of fall quarter) He'll have his CCNP, everything under CompTIA except PDI+. and will have FOT certs as well as Certified Satellite Installer Certifications. Why? Because every course in his ATA program was specifically designed towards CompTIA, ETA-I, Microsoft, and Linex Certifications.
If one has no plans on going beyond the Technician Level, Associates in Technical Arts will far exceed requirements. Of which, places like boeing, actually look past Bachelors degrees specifically in favor for ATAs. How do I know this? I asked them.
They'd rather have an applicant with an ATA in Electronics Technology, Computer Information Systems, Network Technician, or Computer Support, with certifications relating to the degrees rather than a Bachelors.
Because their Technicians are outside of management and engineering fields. And in fact, a Senior Boeing Network Technician, in a supervisory role makes well over $40 an hour. (For a Senior Technician) due to the certifications he/she will have by the time he/she reaches that level.
Places like Boeing, and Microsoft will even PAY for a Technicians further education above the Technician level. specifically based on their chain of advancement. Either case, they prefer ATAs over BSs.
ET/IT
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Also, programmers at Microsoft, majority of them are Technicians who're "certified" in C# and C++ who have ATA Degrees. Microsoft pays them for their certifications. Not their degrees.
I know this, because a National Guardsmen I'm friends with is making $86,000 a year as a programmer at Microsoft. His highest college degree is an Associates in Technical Arts-Computer Information Systems.
He just has a crap load of Microsoft, CISCO, and CompTIA Certs.
For him not to have his Bachelors, simply means he can't work as a salaried manager. but he can work (and does) as an Hourly supervisor.
I know this, because a National Guardsmen I'm friends with is making $86,000 a year as a programmer at Microsoft. His highest college degree is an Associates in Technical Arts-Computer Information Systems.
He just has a crap load of Microsoft, CISCO, and CompTIA Certs.
For him not to have his Bachelors, simply means he can't work as a salaried manager. but he can work (and does) as an Hourly supervisor.
MindoverMaster
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Well said, ET/IT! 
Svetlin
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ET/IT is definitely right, I did a lot of research about the online schools and in fact I have friends working in the field who agree that online schools are to easy and not well credited…just try to apply for UCR or CAL Poly Pomona ( CA ) or some other well credited school and you will see how harder it is to get in. In DeVry I got enrolled just with application lol. Will suggest community college and then university, this is the cheapest option. This is what I did, now I am in at RCC and going to transfer to CSUSB in CA. I personally think to get Network+ ( got A+ ), MCSE and letter MCITP certificates just on the side to boost my understanding of the computer server and network technologies.
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