Should I Get a Degree?

Lnasirjones on 24/10/2025 - 10:11

I am an immigrant and came to australia on a 457 visa. Due to circumstances i was never able to afford university in my home country. I got a lucky break and got a job with a very big global consulting firm because of my technical capabilities. This then allowed me to transfer to Australia. I have been in Australai for 10 years now and I have risen through the ranks to middle management. Upper management is a real posibility for me now. I am in IT and being a CTO for a large organisation is now legitimately within reach for me. I just have a chip on my shoulder because i do not have a degree….but seeing what is coming out of unis i.e. some of the people I hire, i feel that the universities are not doing a great job on the foundational aspects of IT etc. I also cant justify spending 50k on a degree when I barely get much out of it. I am a leader in my field and university will be rehashing knowledge i have through experience and self learning.

What are your thoughts on whether i should get a degree or not? To date, not having a degree has never hindered me from getting a job. I just worry that it may become an issue as i get to CTO level etc. Keen for advice and thoughts.

Education & Work

Comments

  • Gunther on 24/10/2025 - 10:12
    +38

    experience > study

    • El cheepo on 24/10/2025 - 11:01
      +3

      experience > study

      By half way through the OPs post i already had this exact thought in mind.

      Why read a book on how to do something you already have first world experience in.
      Sure there may be a few bits and bobs you could learn besides what you already know, but is it relevant or necessary and worth 50k + years of study? No.

      In Australia people usually hire experience over degrees.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 25/10/2025 - 17:17
        +1

        Why read a book on how to do something you already have first world experience in.

        The practicability of these philosophies varies by field but generally academia is at the cutting edge of theory. Study also enables one to attain breadth of skills unlike practical experience.

        A degree is simply proof of success in study. But nothing stops someone from self-directed study using open courseware, online tools, text books, etc. If I was hiring, I wouldn't overlook someone who could demonstrate lifelong learning and practical experience.

        • JH100 on 26/10/2025 - 01:07

          Not my field but it I agree. Sounds like the OP has come a long way on his/her own merit without formal education, says a lot in a competitive field. A degree can matter to some people but if it's not likely to become a regulatory requirement in his job, to assuage his apparent insecurity "a chip on my shoulder" I would be inclined to find a private source of tuition that is more informal with the intent of raising confidence. Could be from someone near retirement in the same field or even the same company but with a willingness to mentor and bring OP up to speed to get him/her to the cutting edge from where he can more easily maintain that edge. From there I can see him flying through any interrogation to determine his suitability for CTO. My 2c.

    • boomramada on 24/10/2025 - 11:31
      +3

      experience > study

      Yeah, but if there are a few applicants, they pick the one with the degree + experience lol
      But OP is a CTO, they dont need degree lol

    • Hybroid on 24/10/2025 - 11:33
      +9

      Experience with industry certifications > study

      A Chartered Engineer will always be preferred over a non-Chartered one regardless of the number of years experience difference.

      OP should be focusing less on Uni degrees, and more on industry accreditations or professional certifications to help differentiate themselves, and in turn validate their achievements to-date.

      • jv on 24/10/2025 - 13:32

        with industry certifications > study

        chicken vs egg

      • wongcr on 25/10/2025 - 11:07
        +3

        OP has no degree, so can't get chartered as an engineer (which requires an Engineering Degree)

        This being said, could go for GradCert pathway into an eMBA with focus on Tech Management. But this is way way way more than $50k but totally tax deductable.

        And many corporates will actually subsidise this too.

        • Hybroid on 25/10/2025 - 17:10
          +2

          You absolutely can get chartered through other pathways without ever having a degree. It’s not uncommon whatsoever to take a career experience route.

      • BobLim on 26/10/2025 - 20:36

        A Chartered Engineer will always be preferred over a non-Chartered one

        Not my experience. Almost everyone I've spoken to couldn't give a shit about whether or not someone is Chartered (if they even know what it is) - it's more about their career history and interview.

        I'm not sure where Engineers Australia gets their assertions that Chartered is valued by employers, or leads to progression or higher pay.

    • jv on 24/10/2025 - 13:31
      +1

      experience > study

      Are you a doctor?

    • mskeggs on 24/10/2025 - 22:52
      +6

      I have a degree (and a masters) that is unrelated to my career from my 20s.
      I also have various accreditations that I have done along the way that are kind of related - things like Cert IV in management and another in Professional Writing, some other things that tick the box for being someone who is showing they are interested learning new stuff and being up to date in current ideas in business.
      I found them pretty straightforward when they were "window dressing" to illustrate I knew what I was talking about.
      I actually failed one in Project Management when I didn't take it seriously and assumed that my hands on experience, and working with accredited PMs everyday meant I could skip the classes - I got to the exam and there was stuff I had never been exposed to around risk management that I later learned because I had been nipping issues in the bud (lol to my risk management friends who reminded me you don't always get to own projects from the beginning!)

      I have some very successful colleagues who have no accredited study, but perform very highly because of their experience and natural talent.

      I feel that the degree and certs de-risk me as a hire.
      Nobody has ever asked to see a degree or academic record. But I've also had a few chats about life at undergrad uni in job interviews (which was weird) that I think were about sounding me out whether I was a cultural fit for a role.

      I take a degree as a flag an early career person is able to stick to something, and I take a lack of a degree in a more advanced career person as a question to ask - what was your non-standard path to being here?

      If I was brutally honest, if I was reviewing a dozen resumes and 2 didn't have a degree, and all others had similar experience, I might give more scrutiny to the ones with no degree to see if they had some stand out quality I should consider instead.

      But I don't see a dozen resumes usually, normally I see 3 or 4 top candidates, especially for senior roles. I trust the HR people in my big company to do that screening and push through people with credibility.

      So, maybe?
      It kind of sounds like it isn't something you want to do. I'd suggest if you are already successful, maybe it is time to start thinking about doing less stuff you don't want to do.

      The one caveat I will put is that there is a career multiplier if you are a person who is able to network well, and that is to undertake a residential MBA at a top school. I have worked with several top tier networkers who built million dollar networks from attending US business schools, and Macquarie (is it still good?) in the past.

      Because you said you are an immigrant, I'll say this with full consciousness of how racism works in this country, there is a reassurance in top tiers of management in Australia that if a white, pale, male that they already trust can vouch that you were a solid performer in Macquarie School of Management you will be a lower risk exec.

      • bbinc on 25/10/2025 - 10:32
        +1

        On point. An undergrad degree may not be the best option for the OP. Having worked in the uni system, I have seen many people network their way into post grad options normally requiring an undergrad degree. You won’t find that option in writing though apart from opaque references to ‘recognition of prior learning’. And as you say, there are industry accreditations that can have flexibility for non standard entry paths. Like you, I’ve done this myself, and have been engaged to teach in post grad courses obliqely related to my skills and learning.

      • wongcr on 25/10/2025 - 11:08
        +2

        The problem is the screening - you don't get to even see the non-graduate applicant, and many recruitment companies now use AI to determine the short list of applicants.

    • cameldownunder on 25/10/2025 - 22:49
      +1

      And that's why we will keep digging stuff out of the dirt and build houses and not much else.

  • Duckie2hh on 24/10/2025 - 10:14
    +2

    What do you actually want to do with your life?

    • JH100 on 26/10/2025 - 01:13

      First question…

  • Halo375 on 24/10/2025 - 10:16
    +12

    Talk to your existing company about it and see if they think a lack of a degree will limit your future growth. In my company in financial services lacking a degree will absolutely limit roles above a certain salary grade. You should also ask your work if they want to sponsor your further education.

    • Mugsy on 25/10/2025 - 07:11
      +4

      Work sponsorship for study is the way to go. My masters was mostly sponsored by work… cost me $5k and 3yrs of my time but well worth it.

    • cameldownunder on 26/10/2025 - 20:13

      Companies LOVE employees without degrees. Always a good argument NOT to give salary increases.

  • Hardlyworkin on 24/10/2025 - 10:16
    -8

    Spend some money talking to someone about the chip on your shoulder instead. I'm not sure what a degree is going to do for you work wise at this stage of your career.

    • JH100 on 26/10/2025 - 01:14

      … as well … not instead.

  • sane on 24/10/2025 - 10:25
    +4

    In general Australia suffers from qualificationitus - the idea that a piece of paper is somehow required to be an 'expert' on something. In reality this is mainly arse covering by the recruiters ("look we had evidence"). At the same time most of the degrees are hopelessly out of date and useless in teaching what is important, today. Australian universities are little more than diploma mills in the main.

    From your perspective, a degree is useful because you will hit someone, eventually, that cares - no matter what you deliver in the real world. However an MBA is probably of more value to acquire and refer to. IT degrees tend to be doubly useless - academic and backward looking.

    That's not to say that MBAs themselves are much use, but their acquisition is more based on experience and smarts than book reasoning - so more appropriate.

    • ferry594 on 24/10/2025 - 17:33
      +1

      Unless your MBA comes from Europe of the US, they're worth exactly 0. If the company is offering you one and you're bothered then sure go for it. But on your own dime they're useless.

      I tend to agree, most degrees are useless.

      • wongcr on 25/10/2025 - 11:09

        Executive MBA (eMBA)'s are different because they typically require 10 years management experience.

  • holdenmg on 24/10/2025 - 10:26
    +1

    So, if Upper Management is what you aspire to, what are the pathways (or roadblocks) for you?

    You may not need to restudy that you have learned on the job, some may offer RPL (Recognition for Prior Learning).

    Consider what is available within your organisation or externally with Tertiary Study that will complement where you want to go next.

    Have a look @ https://www.acs.org.au as well.

  • scotty on 24/10/2025 - 10:27
    +7

    I found uni these days is more about credential than knowledge, since up-to-date knowledge can be acquired by other means, i.e. online. Especially for undergrads or masters by coursework. However being in middle management of a multinational, you already have the credential.

    However there are people doing an MBA for the connections, or doing a PhD out of pure passion — these are something else.

  • AngoraFish on 24/10/2025 - 10:44
    +3

    Nobody is going to bounce a quality candidate CTO for a large organisation simply because you don't have a degree. Degrees are useful mainly for getting a foot in the door and moving sideways into allied fields.

    Sometimes an MBA can get you a second look when you're up for more senior management roles, but it's not going to be a deal breaker and certainly not worth the time and cost of getting a degree just to end up on the top of a couple more piles of resumes.

  • Azrael169 on 24/10/2025 - 10:56
    +3

    In terms of getting a job, Experience beats Qualifications. At some point though, a glass ceiling kicks in due to lack of relevant qualifications. It may end up stopping your progression.

    I'm not sure going back and getting a simple Bachelors in IT/Computer Science will be beneficial for you, it sounds like you are probably better off going down the path of MBA, especially if upper management is a realistic future possibility. Thankfully multiple MBA's will allow you to enter through real world experience, rather than via having a Bachelors.

    If your ego requires a Bachelors for validation/status etc, why not go to work and ask them to help fund a online degree that you can do in your spare time. All large organisations have money set aside for ongoing education of staff.

    • mskeggs on 24/10/2025 - 23:09

      I think this is true, especially for senior roles where the headshot on the company page looks better if there is some letters after it. I don't care if it is someone I deal with and know, but for a listed company where they are asking shareholders to buy shares, having accreditations are reassuring - does it count against you? Probably not really, but a string of letters is a bonus, especially if other senior people lack them. I have worked at start ups where the big guys were not grads and they made a big deal of second tier managers who had fancy resumes.
      I don't think there are people missing out on jobs when they are the best candidate, but if you are being hired as Chairman of the Board and you have lots of letters after your name from Oxford and Harvard and Sydney these are all positives.

  • brad1-8tsi on 24/10/2025 - 11:08
    +2

    It depends on whether you next move will need a degree to make you a better candidate.

    IMO, once you get to a certain level in your career the ability to deliver results at work and networking are a lot more important than qualifications.

    EG: I was getting paid & recognised as a Mechanical Engineer (as were 2 of my colleagues) and we had a trade and an Associate Diploma and boy did it get under the skin of those that had a degree.

    At the gym yesterday the dude on the reception desk was having a moan to the manager about how he had 3 part-time jobs and maybe he should "pivot and do another degree". He mentioned that he already had a degree & a masters. From his inability to have a 2-way conversation I think he should work on his personal skills rather than add another $30k of student debt to his portfolio.

  • blldzd on 24/10/2025 - 11:31

    Much harder to justify these days with the cost of them but I did my sociology degree because I genuinely just wanted to learn. It had nothing to do with my job and doubt it ever will but I don't really care about that. It's really not something you can learn via youtube/khan academy etc because the debating/interpersonal aspect is so large. Obviously not that applicable to OP's case but you can also just go to uni if you're interested in learning (again, the price really changes that these days).

    • blldzd on 24/10/2025 - 11:33

      Also very hard not to mention to corporate influence on uni's becoming job churning machines in the last 20 years. Consultants from the big 4 hang around campus like vultures.

  • Far Cough on 24/10/2025 - 11:32
    +5

    get a MBA

    • Nuclearvodka on 24/10/2025 - 15:25

      It's not a bad advice.

      OP might not need to get a degree in IT (or in his specialty) but management does require different kind of experience, skills and knowledge.

      As someone said before, speak to your current employer, or maybe even some recruiters in your field might be able to give you some advices.

      • JIMB0 on 24/10/2025 - 18:27

        Okay, so step one: obtain advises.

        Step two: convert them into plural advices.

        Step three: management achieved.

  • sumyungguy on 24/10/2025 - 11:48
    +1

    The reality you may face: you get shortlisted for a CTO role, the selection panel have all attained undergrad and/or postgrad quals in any field, the applicants score evenly but one doesn't have any post-secondary quals - who do you think will get the job? Study something that will broaden your knowledge.

    • Ponsonby on 24/10/2025 - 12:09

      Agree. You already have your acknowledged IT expertise. Study accounting/business subjects if you aspire to top management - many options to do so, including by distance education, never setting foot on campus if that is your preference.
      You may or may not be able to claim on tax
      https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/income-deduc…

    • mskeggs on 24/10/2025 - 23:25

      In my experience this would never happen.
      A CTO is a role who has tens of thousands of dollars invested in getting the right candidate. If the business is run by two guys out of high school who suddenly got rich because they bought a container of Lububu dolls, their choice about degrees or not isn't relevant.
      A CTO will be replacing another CTO, in which case there will be professionalism in IT operations to be discussed because it is a big business, or it will be a step up from a squeezed IT manager role where someone who is both hands on and able to develop real ICT operations is needed for a business that has grown to be millions of dollars.
      In neither case is somebody with a degree in arts or something get to pick who should run that based on qualifications, i guess unless it is the boss.

      • sumyungguy on 24/10/2025 - 23:51
        +3

        OP is an non-existent troll so the discussion isn't really worth having… but in the original post the scenario was " CTO for a large organisation". In my experience in both private SME, private & public large, no way OP would have been appointed internally or externally to a middle management role. Startups maybe wouldn't be so discerning.

  • Hellfire on 24/10/2025 - 12:56
    +1

    There are a few masters level courses that dont require previous undergrad, eg IT Masters www.itmasters.edu.au . An MBA would be more beneficial for you.

    As to whether you need it.. some companies wont consider you without a degree. You'll need to decide if the time and cost is worth it.

  • ForkSnorter on 24/10/2025 - 14:17
    +1

    When I finished high school and was about to enter university, my sole purpose was to embark on an exploration of human knowledge, guided by the wisdom of professors and the vast libraries packed with books and journals stretching back hundreds of years.

    I was slightly shocked by how different university was from my expectations.

    Students were again treated like children, hundreds of us crammed into lecture theatres to be told what we had to do to pass each course, what score we needed on each test or essay, or to watch a bored post-grad tutor read straight from the textbook.

    It was high school all over again, and wise professors were few and far between. Most were obsessed with publishing obscure articles to advance their careers and seemed to hate teaching. There was no sense of being on a common endeavor to obtain and improve human knowledge.

    Ninety-nine percent of what I’ve learned in life has been self-taught, and university only marginally facilitated it. Nevertheless, having the degrees has been useful, and university is at least a place to start in life, and a good place to make friends.

    • mskeggs on 24/10/2025 - 23:30
      +2

      Genuinely asking, because I also think the "movies" style academic life of discussing big ideas over a cafeteria sandwich is important - where did you go to uni, and when?
      I went to Sydney Uni in 1991 and had a fair bit of that.
      My kid in 2023 at UTS saw none of it.
      EDIT: and I will also say I have a young friend studying economics now at Sydney who is immersed in student politics who sees some of it, but listening to them it sounds rarer.

    • Drj55 on 25/10/2025 - 08:20

      At least you stepped foot on the uni grounds, crammed into leacture halls and made friends. Nowadays lectures are pre-recorded, uni is online and self directed. You don't even get to meet your other students to make those connections except in occasional tutes. And you'll be saddled with a $100K debt for the pleasure.

  • Lunarboogie on 24/10/2025 - 15:23

    I can see your dilema. In today's labour market, every Tom, Dick and Harry has a piece of paper from a higher learning institution and while the lack of one hasn't limited your prospects, you're probably the only one without it. People being people will snigger sanctimoniously behind your back and question why you haven’t yet got even the basic qualifications that everyone seemingly has. This puts you on the wrong side of the curve.

    This will likely grate on you. I feel the same way about getting a PhD (I have a Masters and don't need to do any more study other than the fact that I have a thesis in me). So my advice is just do it. Don't restrict yourself to IT though. Do it in the humanities or something else far flung and broaden your mind.

    Once you've got it, no one will care but you will and so will your children. It will set a good example for them (not that mine seems to be having any impact with my own kids).

  • ferry594 on 24/10/2025 - 17:37
    +1

    university will be rehashing knowledge i have through experience and self learning.

    I think you'll be in for a rude shock if you think that's the case. I'm not saying you don't know anything, but university courses love to teach you all sorts of crap on topics you'll never use, never encounter in the real world.

  • AndyC1 on 24/10/2025 - 17:46
    +4

    Sounds and looks like a toll post as OP close to CIO should already know the answer to what OP is asking, especially with 10 years experience.

    OP has had time to look and respond to the vast majority of posts above since OP was last on and OP has not.

    If it smells like a duck and waddles like a duck then until proven otherwise it's a duck. Or in this case a troll post.

    • Some Human on 24/10/2025 - 18:25
      +2

      Sounds and looks like a toll post

      I didn't have to pay to read it.

      • AndyC1 on 24/10/2025 - 20:00

        Missed the "R" in troll.

  • AustriaBargain on 24/10/2025 - 20:02

    If you want to do a job that requires a degree then you probably need a degree. If not, then you don't.

  • meowbert on 24/10/2025 - 20:39
    +2

    No mr troll do not redeem the degree!

  • kzrocky on 24/10/2025 - 21:32
    +2

    This might be a sign of the times, AI generating Troll content.

    • Vomo on 25/10/2025 - 08:24

      Yep, AI is getting very good at mimicking human sentiments, it’s getting harder to tell.

    • JIMB0 on 25/10/2025 - 08:36
      +1

      It's AI using us to generate training content.

  • nikey2k27 on 24/10/2025 - 21:59

    maybe chat uni go do some work for help few student and get uni give degree on your skill set know some fail you now own big tech company help out lots of local student gave degree

  • plentifoo on 25/10/2025 - 02:53

    so i occasionally browse through the discussion forum of ozb and i'm starting to see many of these posts that are supposedly posted by AI. But why? what's the purpose and motivation for someone to train an AI to bait discussion on a bargain forum? Someone trying to train their AI to understand what makes humans tick, what elicits a response from the general public via machine learning? afaik, there's no financial outcome from an endeavour such as this…?

    • JIMB0 on 25/10/2025 - 08:32
      +3

      It's to train the AI. They're extracting our thoughts. That's why everybody should just shitpost in these threads.

  • gromit on 25/10/2025 - 07:16
    +1

    unpublished my comment, no point in responding to troll posts.

  • nswnotill on 25/10/2025 - 08:25

    Are you an Australian citizen? If not, have you made application to become an Australian citizen? Some jobs limited to genuine Aussies.

  • SuperMid on 25/10/2025 - 08:34
    +3

    This post sounds like it was written by a child, not someone with 10 years experience and currently in 'middle management'.

    • OhNoUShiz on 25/10/2025 - 09:54

      And can't afford $50k when you are potential candidate to be the CTO. 😂

  • Belongumdave on 25/10/2025 - 09:45
    +1

    My thoughts. Retired electronics engineer. The best outcome from a formal education, was first principles. There are many times that I would get back to my roots to solve many problems. As in, the mobile phone, fobre optics, wireless, etc, are all based on radio. So when I troubleshoot any of these, I would check the basics, and eliminate some as the problem. I expect that IT would also have benefits of first principles.

  • Chewy2221 on 25/10/2025 - 09:50

    Talk to your current employer. They may even support your studies if you decide to pursue them.

  • OhNoUShiz on 25/10/2025 - 09:54

    If you are on pathway to CTO and yet can't afford $50k sounds like a weekend fantasy writing.

  • Brianqpr on 25/10/2025 - 10:28

    Uni and higher education has become monetised in recent years and you now need a degree to get a foot in the door for jobs that never needed this in the past, such as entry level banking and finance roles.

    I get that degrees are needed for specialist things like medicine, law etc but why do you need one for an admin type finance job where you'll learn everything once there and can go for wherever your ambition takes you with industry qualifications that are actually relevant to your job? Its not like the grads that come in are any more capable than those who arrived without degrees in the past, they just have a big debt to the government…..

  • bbinc on 25/10/2025 - 10:49

    Whatever you do research your plan thoroughly. Target the career path you think will be your best fit (and have at least two alternatives). Find people who are already there and find out how they got there. If you can, ask THEM if your plan has merit. Knock on doors and ask questions at the level you want to get to. Will they talk to you? Don’t ask for a job, just “How do I get there?”. It can be flattering to be asked these questions, and rewarding to help someone with inside advice.
    I once helped someone infiltrate a public organisation, and actually informally work in the role as an observer on a regular basis. They did not have the required qualification, but.they got the job a year later when it was advertised.

  • BigBirdy on 25/10/2025 - 11:05

    I’m sure you’d know it, but without a degree you risk HR dept/agency screening you out before your application gets to the target dept/employer

  • Checkmate3023 on 25/10/2025 - 11:22
    +1

    I also cant justify spending 50k on a degree when I barely get much out of it. I am a leader in my field and university will be rehashing knowledge i have through experience and self learning.

    that seems to be 'the answer'

    My advice is this get a degree or dont get a degree but do it for YOU not for what others say or think. I got a Degree and a Masters i wouldnt spend a single dollar more studying if it didnt benefit my career or was not something i was ultra passionate about.

    The issue we have in our society is people veiw education over 'actual' success too much, which to me is a 'loser mentality' and is a large reason Australia has gone backwards - spending hours in lecture halls and rope learning content doesnt actually make one intelligent

  • samyall on 25/10/2025 - 11:34

    You have said you are in IT and have a shot at being a CTO - what industries would you be looking at? Would you be focused on being a CTO at a tech company (i.e. more product focused) or a non-tech company (i.e. more operationally focused). This might change the calculus.

    At the end of the day, all not having a degree is going to do is reduce the pool of potential companies somewhat. This might not be a bad thing as it sounds like you are likely a bad cultural fit for somewhere to values a piece of paper over experience.

    For the record, I have a PhD and I dont see a degree as a requirement for my industry (industrial R&D). I see it as one element in an array of experience/behavioural traits to look at.

  • Bargainboss99 on 25/10/2025 - 14:46
    +1

    As someone who blew $60k on a degree and had to relearn it all in ccna, I would actually recommend it after working.
    When you rush through a degree you are only thinking of marks- not knowledge. The knowledge is there, just there are shortcuts.
    When you go uni after work experience you can use this opportunity to learn.
    Uni mainly taught me how to learn. Self discovery journey than anything else.
    I know what you mean however, I have interviewed grads.
    Also very easy to get work funding for uni.

  • Sensiekatie on 25/10/2025 - 15:34
    +2

    I'm not an expert in the area of IT, but to get into senior management, then it makes sense to do things that teach management skills, strategic planning, financial planning eg Grad Dip Management using RPL to get Into it.

    One of my friends did an IT degree and then later did a Grad Dip in Management and then other helpful skills. She was always in demand and in the top ranks. There would be no point for you to do an IT degree.

  • tessel on 25/10/2025 - 16:06

    No

  • Safiq on 25/10/2025 - 21:31

    You already have what a degree is meant to give you: a strong career, leadership runs on the board, and a path to the C-suite. In Australia, once you hit middle management in IT, performance beats paperwork almost every time.
    If you want a credential later, go for an MBA or executive course that builds business and boardroom skills instead of rehashing technical basics. No need to spend $50k proving what your résumé already screams.
    If a company rejects you just because of no degree, they’re probably not the kind of place you want to be CTO anyway.
    Keep climbing. You’ve earned your spot

  • kaleidoscope on 26/10/2025 - 00:13

    All depends on what you want to achieve. If your progression will be hindered by lack of a paper qualification is something only you can find out through your connections or company if you plan to stay there.

    For what I do in IT, experience and fitting in matters alot more.

    I did a grad cert out of pure passion (self sponsored entirely as well). While i enjoyed the content i found that most of the people on my class did it for entirely different reasons (sponsored by companies, status, job focussed etc)

  • conan2000 on 26/10/2025 - 07:26
    +1

    I remember interviewing a lady with 20+ years experience who had previously led a team of over 100 people at a large bank asking me if it was a problem that she didn't have a degree. I wouldn't have even noticed if she hadn't mentioned it.

    I cannot imagine anyone caring about a degree once someone has more than a couple of years experience in your field. My uni degree is almost a footnote on my CV now that I have close to 20 years working in Cyber/IT.

  • AndyC1 on 26/10/2025 - 09:00
    +1

    Troll post as OP has not responded to all of the posts above.

  • ihbh on 26/10/2025 - 09:19

    As some have alluded to, a possible degree is an MBA. But…

    … don't do a full time MBA (recent graduates); instead go for an executive MBA (typically need 10+ years work experience, and paid for by employer) - it's typically part time with classes after work, includes a few weeks of intense off-sites and you learn a lot from your fellow students.

    A shorter certificate type course is the Company Director's Course. You'll also learn a lot from other smart older execs. Again, ideal if your employer pays.

    As you become even more senior, short courses at Harvard, INSEAD, etc. Be prepared to read broadly so you don't get stuck with, for example, the strategy models developed at that particular institution.

    If you can get your employer to pay for an exec-MBA and/or CDC, then you'll know their view of you is aligned to yours. If they don't, you could back yourself, and pay yourself, but it's much easier with time and money with employer support.

  • T1OOO on 26/10/2025 - 10:24

    Hey dude
    I’m a CTO for a $100M saas company.
    I’d say it’s 50/50 here. Smaller places I’d say probably not needed a lot depends on your performance and achievements. You could easily get promoted to CTO internally. But making that jump into a cto would be harder especially into a bigger player and it would be held against you as much as not being a CTO already.
    If ur gona do a degree/masters make sure its something that is of value and beneficial.
    Ps. I have no certifications either juts lots of Knowlage a comp science degree. Work ethic and results are much more important imo as is leadership.

    Also about an MBA mate lol juts no.

    If you want to go down that route and go for CEO one day get a degree in finance and accounting.

    • shd on 26/10/2025 - 13:59

      Nice! 20 years experience (gov, private, startups, multinationals, etc) here but had trouble breaking into engineering management roles (was a manager about 15 years ago) and have pretty much tapped out the IC levels. Any advice for progressing?

  • pn09 on 26/10/2025 - 11:10

    A CTO role is not about the technical skills and more about the leadership, governance, management, strategy - and being a part of the full leadership team. Technical skills are a a very useful thing to have and depending on a firm/role may or may not also be needed. And you already have the technical skills so it's the other stuff you need. An undergrad degree won't give you the other stuff, but some avenues to further ed require the undergrad as a pre-requisite to qualify, although some will make exceptions based on experience.

    In the rest of the world a CTO often has an MBA, but in Australia being a GAICD is held in high regard - in some places in Australia even in higher regard than an MBA. https://www.aicd.com.au/courses-and-programs/all-courses/com…

    I wouldn't recommend an MBA for a CTO role in Australia - not worth it

    You may need an undergrad to get an MBA but you don't to get the GAICD, and your current firm may even sponsor your GAICD.

    It's also a lot quicker. Something to consider.

  • Universal Constant on 26/10/2025 - 13:10

    In the "good old days" when it was difficult to get to uni (only a small intake by today's standard) many people would get degrees while they worked at night school. These were usually obtained from "institutes" of various types and the like. Now days these institutes seemed to be call "universites".
    I do not know if night schooling is offered these days, it might be considered too difficult for most people.

  • payless69 on 26/10/2025 - 13:52

    Subscribe to Grammarly!!

    Enough for a good fat paying govt job!

  • garetz on 26/10/2025 - 17:08

    You get the degree to get the job, if you already have the job then you dont need the degree.

  • tenpercent on 26/10/2025 - 20:22

    Yes. Get the 33rd one.

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