I graduated from one of "those" technical colleges in 1984, obtaining an Associate Science degree in Computer Programming. BTW, I completed the academic and technical requirements in only a 14-month calendar span, meeting my objectives to get a REAL job fast. I went on to have a successful and rewarding career, starting at the age of 19 that began with application programming -- exactly what I was educated for (not trained). The "training" came from on-the-job experience -- and I was 1 of 2 students (from a class of 16 then) that got that first lucky break into computer programming. I base my personal success on what was plainly stated before:
No one with any success in computer programming can disagree with those required attributes. We have former musicians and telemarketers writing critical applications to do clinical work. I also work with practicing MDs that can write computer applications -- and they are NOT the best coders because they graduated Harvard and the like, but they have the advantage of having what it takes to produce software coupled with the specialized knowledge of their clinical discipline.programming is a discipline that requires a strong grasp of mathematics, logic, and patience. Not to mention time management skills ... It also takes foresight and determination. Unlike other disciplines, programming skills can take years to develop to maturity.
I went back to that same technical college to complete my Bachelor Science degree in Computer Information Systems in 2001. I completed its academic and technical requirements in a 12-month calendar span. I was offered an adjunct instructor position the very next week, and enjoyed 3-years of part-time teaching in C, VB .Net, and Linux systems administration.
So, I was educated in application programming in 1983/1984 and again in 2001/2002. Over the years in between, I learned and was promoted for systems administration responsibilities for RSTS/E, VMS, Tru64 UNIX, Windows NT/2000 Server, and Red Hat/SuSE Linux. I learned networking administration, including LAT, Novell, and TCP/IP, including all the hardware responsibilities in ethernet cabling including the variety of thin and thick coax wiring, termination. I became an IT director for a hospital and promoted to a corporate IT director a few years later -- still with that same Associates degree, but was "forced" to get my Bachelor's to meet human resources requirements for that high level position. At one-time my supervisor, a CFO, would persistently urge me to go back to a "real" college to obtain a "real" degree -- the wonders it would do for my career. HA!!
All of that did not happen to me by accident with an ivy-league college career or some privileged background -- I flipped Whoppers and chased down rogue bowling pins starting the week I turned 16. So, it is possible, even if it is not probable -- whether that is influenced by public perception or those "snobby experts" -- to be successful in IT without the fancy education. BTW, I can come off being a snob too despite my humble beginnings, again, perception is one's reality.
All that said, it is in my experience, both as a student of the 1980s and 2000s and as a technical college instructor, that only 1 or 2 from any given class goes on to work a career in the programming track of their technical degrees. A higher ratio occurs in the networking track, but sadly, I am a bit of a bigot there because of my success in network architect designs and implementations for several networks, large and small, over a span of decades -- while I jest that ANYONE can be a network engineer, given the opportunity, I would despise working as one full-time. It, too, takes a certain kind of discipline.
I believe the low ratio of computer programmers graduating from a technical college is influenced some by public opinion, no doubt. "Be a New England Tech grad, or compete with one!" Heh-heh, very comical even though I am alumni. The prospecting through viable candidates is much finer than it has been from the last decade -- and it has to be. IT is more tightly integrated with most company's successes or failures.
And there must be a love or deep passion to drive a successful person to work IT. Those crazy times in the 1990s ARE gone, yes, and as a former manager, I had to hire some from that "class" -- and guess what they are doing today?
I do see an improved application process to enter technical colleges, as well as I see an increase in drop-outs -- which I believe is appropriate -- regardless that the college is "suffering" financially from loss in student retention. Ironically, as I left in 2005, Video Game Development was being tossed around as a way to lure new students and possibly retain them for their 2 and 4-year programs.So this is nothing new in that business, each with their own set of objectives, colleges and students alike. What you do with it matters.
