I agree that if you have the opportunity you should do the degree. I don't think it's necessarily true that you won't be able to troubleshoot things otherwise,

I agree that if you have the opportunity you should do the degree. I don't think it's necessarily true that you won't be able to troubleshoot things otherwise, but there are other reasons. It's hard to explain why theoretical knowledge is important. It's one of those things you appreciate when you have it, and don't know what you're missing when you don't. I'm a self taught developer with a decade and a half of experience and I wish I had done a CS or Mathematics degree when I was younger.