this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2024
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In technology, what about software for an aircraft written and tested by skilled developers, but ones without degrees?
Hiring devs with degrees does not guarantee anything quality about the software they write.
A degree for developer just means that they know how to learn.
I've seen some straight a solid developers come straight out of college enter the enterprise sector and bomb right out.
Why aren't you using Python, why aren't you using inheritance. They're walking into these places with 20-year-old code bases and nowhere near enough money to rewrite any of it.
And the problem is, even if they get the opportunity to rewrite it, they try so hard to optimize it and put so many little smart decisions in there that becomes very difficult to maintain.
As someone currently getting a degree (and therefore surrounded by soon-to-be devs with degrees), I couldn't agree more. The requirements to pass are so low that it means nothing.
The control system and sensors algorithms would be developed by engineers (not software engineers). Then implemented by the software engineers. That is subsequently tested again by the non software engineers. It often auto coded from simulink models, requiring less input from software teams.
Most of the software development done by software engineers or developers in aircraft is scheduling, connecting pipes, data recording, networking etc. Keeping the aircraft flying is done by other engineers. These algorithms are more related to aircraft dynamics, electrical systems and sensor physics than algorithms used in software. Most control systems implemented are represented as analogue electronics, even when the engineers have only ever used digital systems for their control. In these cases knowledge of non-software topics are more important.
So it would still be people with degrees keeping the aircraft in the air. However, many of these roles could be accomplished by people who have non university qualifications or 4-5 year apprenticeships. But it's hard to teach the background maths involved during an apprenticeship as it's not being applied day to day and the other engineers skills may have atrophied compared to a university course. Degree apprenticeships do work well for this sort of thing.
to be fair, software engineers are a lot more design heavy than implementation. software developers are the "implementers" where software engineers generally focus on the bigger picture as well
@[email protected]
This was a very interesting example. Personally, I don't use any of the higher math that degree programs wanted. For people in the field you're talking about, it would be needed. So in that sense, a dev working for one company would be fine, until they wanted to dev for a company that needs those maths.
I counter my own point though and say that most people who don't use those higher level maths forget it. I am a very good use or lose example.
@cole@[email protected] I agree there can be separation of role types. This is annoyingly inconsistent across industry. Lead/architect/principle/engineer terms get thrown around for all kinds of roles. Sometimes companies just use them as title changes for promotion and talent retention. It would be nice if companies considered adapting a standardize framework for some uniformity. The NICE model comes to mind, but I've had people tell me they think it's too academic and not pragmatic in the real word. I don't think I agree with them.
Why do you need a degree just to be told by the accountant and c suite employees that you're codes safety festures are taking to long so shelf them?
Does this mean skills learn on the job or from a higher education institution?
Would people accept a highrise Disney by a team of self taught engineers?
Would we allow a surgeon to practice without a medical degree?
What about if that surgeon went to a vocational school and then did the normal years of internship, fellowship, supervision, etc?