Since jbrow is clearly interested in tech/IT I'll chime in since I spent a lifetime in tech
Jbrow327 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 10:23 pm
griddles wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:41 pm
I'll bite. I have a liberal arts degree (philosophy) and liberal arts masters (MLIS). I work in tech now doing cyber security. ...
How did you get into cybersecurity?
I won't speak for griddles, but will say that cybersecurity is a huge area, and that there are lots of specializations within the security realm. I think most people get into security through learning about networking. Some pretty basic network skills have broad applicability and don't necessarily require formal college training. E.g., configuring networks, firewalls, routers, and traditional network gear is a relatively straightforward way into "cybersecurity". My nephew does not have a college degree and learned networking while in the navy. Now he's a SVP at Cisco running an entire business unit, and he's not the only person I know who did something like this.
"Cybersecurity" also includes other distributed technologies - directory technology, security certs, authorization levels and so forth - these are all more software related security technologies rather than the networking stuff which is more hardware oriented. I worked for a long time doing systems integration (connecting systems together so they could talk to one another) and learned these sorts of software security technologies through osmosis/necessity. I didn't have any formal CS training (though I did have formal engineering training), it was more a matter of working with tech so long that I learned a lot in many different areas.
Jbrow327 wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 4:30 pm
coneydogron wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 4:24 pm
...
Trades taught me a lot especially about working hard but I'll take my college degree any day over the trades...
Just a general IT degree? Can you become a software engineer without a degree? Are the deadlines pretty extreme in this field?
I've met plenty of software engineers who don't have degrees. IMO this is relatively common. It's a matter of paying your dues doing lots and lots and lots of programming. There's a critical mass of experience that's required, and a college degree is one way that many folks build up their experience base, however simply paying your dues and becoming an adept programmer is more important than any degree, at least IMO. This is actually how I started in tech - as a programmer where those skills were mostly self-taught.
The bottom line in all this is that like with any job, you have to get really good at some area of technology so people want to pay you to work for them. So find an area that you like, stay focused on it, and the rest will take care of itself.