Dive Brief:
- Some tech employers are ignoring college degrees to get much-needed talent in the door, according to an article at Fortune.com.
- The value of a college education is still considered critical by many employers, but there is an emerging alternative trend in the IT talent market. Shortages of certain skills have become so severe that they’re making formal education irrelevant, says Fortune.
- Driven by a fast-growing concept called DevOps, which streamlines the software creation process. But employers who use the DevOps strategy do not insist on a degree in computer science or software engineering. Alan Shimel, editor-in-chief of DevOps.com, a career site devoted to the field, told Fortune “Hands-on experience with actual tools and projects is really the only thing that matters.”
Dive Insight:
Fortune reports that HS-educated DevOps specialists with the right experience now earn a median salary of $106,734, according to a survey from DevOps.com and cybersecurity firm Imperva. Bachelor’s degree holders, who make up about half (52%) of DevOps pros, earn an average of $105,544. In fact, the Fortune article goes on to say that even with a college degree, no DevOps experience means no job.
This could be a true outlier, but it does make you wonder if some employers with specific skillsets will start seeing out talent regardless of academic credentials. The article doesn't expand beyond DevOps, but it only makes sense that in tech, which can be largely self-taught, employers may look for creative ays to fill the talent pipeline.
