College Degree Required

Why is it that almost all of the computer related jobs require a college degree? I do not understand this.  Several of the top open source programmers are without college degrees.  It has been proven time and time again that just because you have a college degree, you are not necessarily the best man for the job.

All a college degree really proves is that you finished college.  It does not prove that someone has the appropriate skill set to work within a programming team.  I have seen guys with zero degrees and no certifications code and adminstrate networks in circles around guys who are more “educated” than themselves.  A college degree is not an equivalent to intelligence.  Someone can have a college degree and be a complete idiot while others without them test as geniuses.

Granted, most people who have degrees are at the very least moderately intelligent.  They can think for themselves, and prove their points in a logical manner which will make sense to others.  They can learn something if they set their mind to it, this is proven by the fact that they have the degree.  But like I said, it does not mean they are without a doubt the best man for the job.

It really pains me to see companies making the college degree a requirement for a job.  It is biased and in most cases unnecessary.  Especially when it comes to programming jobs, because most hiring managers give the person a test before hiring them.  They have to pass the test to the manager’s standards before they can be considered.  So why is it necessary to have a college degree in computer science if you can not pass the entry exam/test for the company.  This just further proves my point.

I am not opposed to someone getting a college degree, in fact, I myself am working towards one.  I just do not think that they should be considered a requirement when it comes to a technology based job unless the position is within upper management (CIO or VP) and even then it should be “recommended” not “required” but this is just my opinion.

What are your thoughts on this?  Do you think that a college degree should be required for a technology based position?  Leave a comment.

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