4 ms·
> Why do we accept the out of control increase in cost to get a degree? Because that degree is valued, not for the education the student received, but as a for
by mcherm 9y ago
> Why do we accept the out of control increase in cost to get a degree?
Because that degree is valued, not for the education the student received, but as a formal gating mechanism: those who do not obtain it (and it better be from a "good" school) are (with a few exceptions) excluded from all possibility of ever having "good" jobs.
In other words, our hiring practices are the root of the problem.
Even in tech (where I know from experience that skill and education are only mildly correlated), education on the resume is still a gatekeeper and my company's recruiting of novices comes primarily from the better college campuses.
- a1b9c14e125bd58 9y agoI don't have a degree and never had an issue finding good work in the tech industry. I've found there are so many people trying to get into IT that your portfolio counts for more than your qualifications (much like with a photographer).
- philh 9y ago> I've found there are so many people trying to get into IT that your portfolio counts for more than your qualifications I'd expect qualifications to matter less if there are few people trying to get into IT, since employers can less afford to miss a good candidate. If they get a hundred applicants for each position, they'll be more inclined to use a weak filter to throw out half of them on a first pass.
- a1b9c14e125bd58 9y agoMaybe there is a glut of average candidates then? Either way I've found no issue getting jobs - even for positions which specifically state an IT degree as a requirement. And I'm always honest about qualifications as well. Obviously I'm not advocating people skip university. But I think it's important to remember that you can still compete in the job market without a degree.