this post was submitted on 15 Feb 2025
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Yeah… I’m a software engineer that came to it from a non-traditional path. I did finish college, law school, and practiced law for years before I switched careers.
But I was always a serious hobbyist in IT/programming since I was a kid. When I decided to switch careers, yeah I did a lot of learning (filling in gaps) on platforms like Udemy and YouTube. You can learn a LOT on those platforms if you do a little work and figure out who the reputable instructors are. I found it to be a lot of very practical instruction but also plenty of CS theory available too.
Turns out, it’s a lot like college - the experience is what you make it in many ways.
I have a senior engineer position these days and, sure, I still have a little imposter syndrome sometimes. But my co-workers who have CS degrees insist I’m not missing much and that they often forget I don’t have one until I make a self-deprecating joke about it.
Hey don't let me get you down, it sounds like you learned a lot and you're good at what you do. Maybe the elitist part of me (I hated uni but I arguably went to a "good school") a little bit wants others to go through the exam + assignment structure I did just to verify they are "good". But, I think the industry is shifting towards hiring from a test of ability, plus there's the 3-6 month probationary periods...
I don't mean to say everyone needs a degree, just that people can complete a 2 week bootcamp, and still not be qualified. Just like how some people can learn a lot from structuring their own education. I needed others to tell me what I needed to learn, and wouldn't have had the discipline to learn from YouTube.
There's no perfect answer and too much knowledge to transfer than a degree can provide anyway. If you can code, you're good enough. Take that with the caveat of: everyone still has a lot more to learn. Imposter syndrome is the norm, so is burnout. Take care of yourself and try to enjoy.
Oh and please - for the love of the cyber workforce - learn about common vulnerabilities and how to avoid writing them in to systems!
I hope my first reply didn’t come off as defensive - I did not mean for it to. I think I actually agree with you to a large degree.
I agree that most bootcamps/YouTube courses are probably not enough by themselves, in most cases.
I switched careers in my late 30s. So, I had over 20 years at the hobbyist level to build on. Also, law school definitely taught me how to teach myself things. For me, YouTube and Udemy were a big help to fill in gaps and help organize things I had been learning in a more piecemeal way over the years.
But you’re right - it’s so important to continue learning things after entering the profession. I have made a lot of efforts to try to do that, including going back and learning concepts I have been told are part of most CS degree programs.
So, I’m trying!