@brennj4 wrote:
There is no truly right answer to this... we could debate it all day. But at the end of that day, if employers still require a degree, it is the paradigm in which we are forced to operate if we are to be truly successful (or not). That is the tone that I was trying to convey.
I believe I understand your perspective. I think a good understanding of where academic degrees are valuable comes with understanding that there are several career tracks that are both markedly White Collar and Blue Collar work. Both tracks have senior positions attainable with or without degrees; although the white collar tracks are significantly harder to attain without a degree.
Information Technology work, and Information Security work, and Computer Security work has evolved. It is both a White Collar profession and a nouveau Blue Collar trade. Yes, it is possible, as it once was with factory work to begin as a tradesman and work up toward a foreman (the fence line between factory White and Blue Collar work). It has become harder and harder to work through that barrier into management and administration (business admin, not system admin).
IT, IS, and CS work for years has been considered an advanced trade. The only two major academic lines that were available were Electronic Engineering (Hardware) and Computer Science (Programming/Software). Professional academics surrounding the topics of system administration, telecommunications (networking) and computer security has only become a mainstream departure from these E.E. and C.S. roots in the last 15 years or so. Prior to this, the only way to enter the profession was as a technician gaining on the job experience.
Entering the workforce as a technician and working your way up is still very valid, but the dichotomy between this "Blue Collar" workforce and the academically trained "White Collar" workforce is still growing. Businesses have learned that on average, you can't take someone that is skilled in the procedural application of security controls as a technician and drop them into White Collar business risk management analyst positions without formal training (or someone with a lot of natural talent). The technicians lack the vocabulary to communicate upward to management, they lack the business mindset to make good risk decisions (leaning toward 100% mitigation, over responsible cost-control), and quite frankly lack many of the social nuances to get along with others outside of their clique (being the stereotypical angry IT security nerd).
This barrier is where academic experience comes in.
So, if you have no interest other than being a senior technician, there is no real need for an academic experience. You can work your way up if your favorite interaction is you and a set of security appliances. There are a few with natural talent and developed social skills that will break this barrier on their own. There are still fewer that will bypass this barrier by creating their own company. If you fall into either of these two later categories, then your reputation will precede you. You aren't the one applying for jobs, you're the one recruiters already know by name and are actively seeking out. So, unless there's a headhunter calling you every week or two offering you a VP or C-suite job... that ain't you. Go to school.
Sincerely,
Eric B.
