Successful programmer without a college degree?

Summary

In this video, Dennis Penita addresses the question of whether a college degree is necessary for a career in development. He points out that while traditional education was once a prerequisite, the current job market, especially in countries with high demand for developers, values skills and portfolio over formal education. Penita emphasizes that the majority of programmers are self-taught and employed, suggesting that building a portfolio and honing skills are more important than a degree for securing a job in IT. He encourages self-taught developers to continue their journey, regardless of their educational background.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video discusses the question of whether a college degree is necessary to become a developer.
• 💼 In the past, a degree was often required, but the industry has evolved and now prioritizes skills over formal education.
• 🌍 There is a high demand for developers, with many countries, like Germany, having a significant number of open job positions.
• 🔍 Companies are more interested in a candidate's skills and portfolio rather than just their degree.
• 💼 Around 60% of jobs do not require a degree, but the remaining 40% do, and a degree can offer a broader job selection.
• 📈 A degree might be essential in some countries or companies, but there are still ample opportunities for self-taught programmers.
• 🤖 A survey on Stack Overflow indicates that a majority of programmers are self-taught and employed.
• 🛠️ The value of completed projects and building a portfolio is emphasized as more important than formal education.
• 🚀 The speaker encourages viewers to focus on skill development and creating a portfolio to secure a job in IT.
• 📱 For aspiring app developers, creating Android apps and publishing them on the Play Store is suggested as a way to build a portfolio.
• 💻 For those interested in web development, building a website for a local business can serve as a reference for job interviews.
• 🗣️ The video ends with an invitation for viewers to share their thoughts and experiences as self-taught programmers in the comments section.

Q & A

Is a college degree necessary to become a developer according to the video?

The video suggests that while a college degree was once a requirement, it is not always necessary today. Companies are more interested in skills and portfolio rather than just a degree.

What is the current situation of job offerings for programmers in Germany as mentioned in the video?

The video states that there are over 70,000 open job offerings for programmers in Germany, indicating a high demand for developers.

What does the video suggest is more important to companies than a degree for a developer role?

The video suggests that skills and a portfolio, which serves as proof of one's abilities, are more important to companies than a degree.

What percentage of jobs on the market do not require a degree according to the video?

The video mentions that around 60% of jobs on the market do not require a degree.

What does the video recommend for self-taught programmers who want to build their portfolio?

The video recommends creating projects such as Android apps for the Play Store or developing a website for a local business to use as a reference for job interviews.

What does the video imply about the value of the projects one completes compared to university education?

The video implies that the projects you finish are worth more than what you have learned at university, emphasizing practical experience over theoretical knowledge.

What does the video suggest about the necessity of a degree for getting an IT job?

The video suggests that you don't necessarily need a degree to get an IT job, as being a full-time, part-time, or self-employed developer is possible without one.

What is the video's stance on the importance of a degree in different countries and companies?

The video acknowledges that the importance of a degree varies by country and company, with some requiring a degree while others do not.

What does the video claim about the majority of programmers on Stack Overflow?

The video claims that a survey on Stack Overflow shows that the majority of programmers are self-taught and still have jobs.

What advice does the video give to those who are self-taught programmers or aspiring to become one?

The video advises self-taught programmers or those aspiring to become one to keep building their skills and portfolio, and not to worry about not having a degree.

How does the video encourage viewers to stay updated with programming topics and tutorials?

The video encourages viewers to subscribe and click the bell to get notified about the latest free project tutorials and stay updated with programming topics.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 The Debate on College Degrees for Developers

In this video, Dennis Penita addresses the common question of whether a college degree is necessary to become a developer. He explains that while a degree was once a standard requirement, the industry has evolved. Companies are now more interested in skills and portfolios rather than formal education. Dennis highlights the high demand for developers, especially in Germany, where there are over 70,000 job openings, and emphasizes that skills and a strong portfolio are more important than a degree. He also mentions that around 60% of jobs do not require a degree, but in some cases, it can provide a broader range of job options. The video encourages self-taught programmers and suggests building a portfolio through practical projects as a way to secure a job in the IT industry.

Keywords

💡Coding

Coding refers to the process of writing computer programs in a specific programming language. It is the fundamental skill for a developer. In the video, the speaker discusses the possibility of learning coding through various resources without a formal degree, emphasizing the importance of self-teaching and skill acquisition.

💡College Degree

A college degree is an academic qualification awarded by a college or university upon completion of a course of study. The script questions the necessity of a college degree for becoming a developer, highlighting that in many cases, skills and experience are more valued by employers than formal education.

💡Developer

A developer is a professional who designs, codes, and maintains applications or systems in software development. The video discusses the demand for developers and how the job market has evolved to prioritize skills and portfolios over formal education.

💡Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow is a popular online community for programmers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. The script mentions a survey on Stack Overflow indicating that a significant portion of programmers are self-taught, which is relevant to the discussion on the necessity of a college degree.

💡Online Courses

Online courses are educational programs delivered through the internet. The script suggests that online courses, along with other resources like Google and YouTube, can be effective ways to learn coding without attending a traditional college or university.

💡Portfolio

A portfolio in the context of the video refers to a collection of work that showcases a developer's skills and experience. It is highlighted as a proof of skills, which is more important to employers than a degree in many cases.

💡Skills

Skills are the abilities and knowledge required to perform tasks effectively. The video emphasizes that having relevant skills in the field of software development is more critical for getting a job than having a college degree.

💡Job Market

The job market refers to the environment where employers and job seekers interact. The script discusses the current state of the job market for developers, noting that there is a high demand for programmers and that the market often favors skills over formal education.

💡Self-Taught

Self-taught individuals are those who have acquired knowledge or skills without formal instruction. The video suggests that being self-taught is a viable path to becoming a programmer, as evidenced by the success of many self-taught developers.

💡IT Job

An IT job refers to a position within the information technology sector, which includes roles such as software development, web design, and IT support. The script argues that one does not necessarily need a degree to secure an IT job, as skills and completed projects are often more valued.

💡Project

A project in the context of the video is a specific piece of work undertaken to achieve a particular outcome, such as developing an app or a website. The speaker emphasizes the importance of completing projects to build a portfolio, which is more valuable than academic credentials for job prospects.

Highlights

Dennis Penita discusses whether a college degree is necessary for a career as a developer.

Traditionally, a college degree was a requirement, but the industry has evolved to value skills and portfolios over formal education.

In some countries, there is a significant shortage of developers, leading companies to prioritize skills over degrees.

Germany, for example, has over 70,000 open job offerings for programmers, indicating a high demand for skilled developers.

A degree is not the primary concern for companies; instead, they focus on a candidate's skills and the ability to showcase them through a portfolio.

60% of jobs do not require a degree, but having one can expand job opportunities and choices.

In some countries and companies, a degree is still a prerequisite for certain positions.

Stack Overflow's survey reveals that a significant portion of programmers are self-taught and employed.

The value of the projects you complete is more important than the theoretical knowledge gained at university.

You don't need a degree to secure your dream IT job, whether full-time, part-time, or as a self-employed developer.

For aspiring app developers, creating Android apps and publishing them on the Play Store can be a stepping stone to a job.

Web developers can build a website for a local business and use it as a reference during job interviews.

Building a strong portfolio and having relevant skills are key to securing a job in the field you apply for.

The video encourages self-taught programmers not to worry about the lack of a degree and to continue pursuing their goals.

Dennis invites viewers to share their thoughts and experiences as self-taught programmers in the comments section.

The video also promotes subscribing and turning on notifications for updates on programming topics and free project tutorials.

The video ends with an inspirational message about never stopping and a light-hearted musical note.

Transcripts

what's up YouTube this is Dennis penita

for tutorial start you let's talk about

a very interesting question you might

already have asked yourself you used

Google Stack Overflow YouTube books and

online courses to teach yourself coding

however now you come to the point where

you are wondering do I need a college

degree to get a job as a developer is it

really worth paying thousands even

hundreds of thousands of dollars in some

countries to get a degree well in the

past a college degree might have been a

requirement but things have changed as a

developer you're at a great spot in most

countries there aren't even enough

developers so companies are desperately

searching for programmers in Germany

alone for example are over 70,000 open

job offerings for the job programmer how

are they supposed to find that many

programmers with a degree what matters

for those companies is not so much your

degree but your skills and portfolio

which is sort of a proof of your skills

you get paid for what you do not what

you no no of course not

while around 60% of the jobs out there

on the market do not require a degree

the other 40% do require it not only

that with a degree you definitely have a

bigger job selection you can choose from

in some countries a degree is more

important than in others and some

companies a degree is even a must but no

worries there are still enough jobs for

self-taught programmers a survey on

Stack Overflow the most trusted forum

with millions of programmers has shown

that the bigger part of them are

self-taught and still have a job

summing it up the project you finish are

worth more than what you have learned at

university that said we can say that you

don't need a degree to get your favorite

IT job as a full-time part-time or even

self-employed developer you want to

become an app developer well then just

create some Android apps and put them on

the Play Store you prefer web

development pull the website for the

pizza restaurant next door and use this

as a reference for your next job

interview what matters is that you build

your portfolio and have skills in the

areas that you apply

four so no worries if you don't have a

degree just keep on going what's your

opinion

are you a self-taught programmer and

have a job or are you on your way to

becoming one please share your thoughts

with us in the comments below and by the

way if you want to keep up to date with

programming topics and want to get

notified about our latest free project

tutorials don't forget to subscribe and

click the bell

where's Borel in my morning's and

searching for the lung good day people

feeling like the light has just come we

must never stop

[Music]