On Jun 25, 2006, at 8:43 PM, dal wheeler wrote:

> he'd be the first one to tell you its not the easiest way to
> maintain a career.  I've seen these people in other companies
> and it is very difficult for them to change jobs...

That matches the experience of assorted friends and relatives.  In
times of significant company loyalty to the employees, a non-degreed
engineer can do fine.  But if, say, the Internet Bubble pops, your
company goes Poof! (and with it your chances of glowing recommendations
and identifiable accomplishments), and you find yourself with a mortgage
and kids to support at the same time as thousands of people with similar
skills, similar resumes, AND college degrees...  Well, you'd better have
a good nest-egg or many and/or wealthy friends.

A 4 year college degree is probably worth 2 or 3 years worth of "real"
experience (of the sort that it is very hard to get when you're 18.)
It doesn't exercise the SAME skills as actual work, but the skills it
does imbue aren't as worthless as some people think.

BillW

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