Developer Education

This entry asks what type of developer you are. White collar versus blue collar. What the question essentially comes down to is what level of education do you have. White collar developers are considered to have a four-year college or university degree while the blue collar developers have less education. So, are these degrees really necessary to become a software developer?

This question really needs to be in a less broad context. For instance, is it likely that as a developer you will need an advanced computer science degree to build typical web applications? Not likely. Will you need one to do optimization work with embedded software. Probably.

Computer scientists have the theoretical know-how that is an absolute must in certain circumstances. Other developers have more experience in what is the more practical way out of a given situation. The important thing to note, I think, is that either one has limitations. It is the job at hand that dictates who is best for the job.

In addition, not being able to produce a degree for highly niche jobs doesn't necessarily mean a road block for some developers. If you can show, through software that you have built in the past, the knowledge you have, it is a good alternative.