One of the critical debates in the software development industry is whether or not a software engineering degree is essential for one to become a software developer.
For some employers, a software engineering degree is necessary, and they won’t consider a candidate without one. Other employers however, try to assess whether an individual is resourceful enough to learn the skills needed and continuously upskill as needed. If this resourcefulness is found, then the lack of a college degree is not considered an impediment to their appointment as a software developer.
The software development industry needs people who are smart and willing to adapt to the changes that continuously happen in the software development industry. Even if you are equipped with a college degree, it helps to have this adaptive mindset.
Nowadays, a degree does not guarantee a software engineer a job. A degree can become obsolete after a couple of years but what remains constant with the person is the person’s experience and willingness to learn. These are invaluable for the growth of both individuals and companies.
Apart from the college degree, employers look for the following qualities in individuals:
- Desire to learn
- Excellent coding skills
- Adaptive nature
- Building product-oriented and functional systems
- Curious
- Logical Mindset
- Passionate for coding
- Love for technology
- Abstract Thinking
Young kids have nowadays started to code right from their elementary school. They develop expertise in developing websites, apps, and coding in different software languages. Online courses such as those listed on elitelearning.io help such learners immensely.
Programming requires a lot of practice. A college degree does not compensate for the experience and expertise gained through training. A person’s will, passion, and experience count a lot on their journey of becoming a software developer.
