Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'I Don't Think a Four-Year Degree is Necessary to Be Proficient at Coding'

[Gueeds]

He’s not wrong, I’ve learned way more skills relevant to my job through YouTube and Google more than my 4 year degree taught me.

Colleges are just an excuse to saddle you with debt taking courses you don’t need. Universities get paid keeping you there and taking those extra courses. Time to cut out the middle man

 

[ipponrg]

He’s not wrong, I’ve learned way more skills relevant to my job through YouTube and Google more than my 4 year degree taught me.

Colleges are just an excuse to saddle you with debt taking courses you don’t need. Universities get paid keeping you there and taking those extra courses. Time to cut out the middle man

Most software engineering courses are applicable to coders at some point in their career.

 

[grad]

The question should not be whether a Computer SCIENCE University degree is necessary to become a 100k/year programmer/coder but whether MBA is actually needed to become a billionaire.

 

[ctg7w6]

Okay you have it all figured out. Maybe you should lead Apple.
[doublepost=1557522629][/doublepost]

The thing is you can simply go to youtube and learn to code. As I said college is good if you want to specialize in other things as well. As others have said you learn to code by coding. Some people need that classroom environment to push them to open the book to page one.

I didn’t say I had it all figured out but do you really think the average high school graduate will know how to code? I mean, come on.

 

[cmaier]

I didn’t say I had it all figured out but do you really think the average high school graduate will know how to code? I mean, come on.

Average high school graduate COULD teach himself/herself to code.

 

[cylack]

Are these coding bootcamps that are popping up all over legit? They claim they can teach coding/web development in 3-6 months. Some even say they won't charge tuition and will take the the tuition out of your first years employment.

 

[cube]

BTW, the iTunes license prohibits using it to make missiles, or nuclear, biological, chemical weapons.

 

[imageWIS]

Maybe that’s exactly why Tim Cook is CEO. Give the people what they want.

The people ≠ shareholders.

 

[Halopend]

I self taught before going for a degree and I can agree with him up to a point.

Coding is a skill you really learn from doing, hence why the courses focus on tutorials where you gain experience more so than just lectures.

That said, if you want to be able to jump between languages and take full advantage of each of them, you are going to need a deeper understanding that is really hard to pick up on your own. I know for myself, if you teach yourself in one language, you are going treat another language as if it was the same and be thoroughly confused until you truly understand the differences which is hard to pick up on by just “coding” as you’ll be bringing in bad practices that sort of work but aren’t as efficient as they could be.

And of course... if you ever intend to work with people who did earn a degree, you are going to need to learn the lingo they use if you want to stand a chance of communicating with them without just scratching you head in confusion because the language can be so technical.

 

[boast]

I think medical doctors can be self-taught without needing a degree.

 

[I7guy]

The people ≠ shareholders.

Exactly. Please the people, please the shareholders.

 

[RogueWarrior65]

You might think that but no. When I was in college looking for summer work as a programmer when they weren't a dime a dozen, I put 5 Years Experience on my resume and employers wanted to know where I got that experience. Apparently, owning my own computer (most people didn't at that time) and writing code since 7th grade didn't count.

 

[Analog Kid]

Lines of coders like the lines of clothes sewers from the past all chasing down rouge code in real time. I see the future. All paid peanuts for long strenuous hours.

Come work for apple today.

The future is now. Except for the peanuts bit...

 

[pika2000]

One day these programmers will be like factory workers with the same salary. This is exactly what Tim and the rest of the tech industry are trying to do getting into cheap labor to increase profit.

It's already happening. Most apps are already outsourced to countries like India/China.

 

[Kabeyun]

What does Tim Apple know about coding? He's a supply chain expert.

He’s the boss of a, y’know, computer company. By now he’s learned a weensy bit about what it takes without having to be able to do it himself.

Somewhere along the line it probably went something like this:
“Hey, Craig! Do you think these great coders all needed a four year baccalaureate to get decent at coding?”
“No, Tim. If coding proficiency is the goal, you can probably get that with pre-collegiate study, a focused associates degree, and then good experience.”
“Cool. Thanks, Craig. Now I know.”

 

[8281]

Doctors, attorneys, chemists and structural engineers aren’t IT jobs.

OP said: “Degrees for most technical, high paying jobs are worthless. I’ll hire experience over education any day, when it comes to IT positions.”

Ah got it. I still disagree however. Learning theory and all the other ancillary coursework that’s part of a degree is valuable.

 

[Pootie Tang]

Then why does Apple still require a 4-year degree from all their software engineering jobs?

EDIT: They don't necessarily.

The people ≠ shareholders.

Shareholders make nothing if the people don’t purchase products. Since Apple is the number one publicly traded company in the world in terms of market capitalization, the shareholders are happy because the people are buying the products.

 

[praterkeith]

What does Tim Apple know about coding? He's a supply chain expert.

Seems to know enough.

 

[Abazigal]

What does Tim Apple know about coding? He's a supply chain expert.

So how much code did Steve Jobs write when he was CEO at Apple?

 

[Tech198]

Although i value what Tim is saying, this is what happens when you reckon your great at what you do, You start turning into a person who reckons this is always the way it should be done. And everything else is second best .

Lots of companies do the same

 

[macmarco]

Tim statement is correct. My first assignment for software engineering course was writing a manual for teaching ppl how to use Paint Brush. All students thought it is a piece of cake at the beginning. I was taught mainly how to deal with ppl but not machine.

 

[borntrouble]

One day these programmers will be like factory workers with the same salary. This is exactly what Tim and the rest of the tech industry are trying to do getting into cheap labor to increase profit.

Precise analysis, pal.

 

[itguy06]

So Tim is saying that I wasted four years of my life going to college?!?

/s

I know I did. And yes I did graduate. For me college in the 90's was pretty much a waste. Between the Liberal Indoctrination to requiring things that were/are of little value (arts, history, some science) it did little to prepare me for my career.

Rather shift that crap, with the exception of the Indoctrination nonsense to high school and make "college" more focused on life and real world experience.
[doublepost=1557661350][/doublepost]

Do you know that software runs nuclear power stations and radiation therapy, for example?

The Java license does not allow using it to run a nuclear facility.

Degrees are not worthless. But experience can replace a degree sometimes.

I'd rather my nuclear station operators and coders and radiation operators and coders have spent 4 years studying every facet of nuclear and radiation therapy rather than being distracted with nonsense that is of little to no value to them.

Which is why even though I hold a 4 year degree, I feel trade and other non college schools are much more valuable than college.

 

[msp3]

Butthurt "journalists" fired from tabloids like BuzzFeed, Huffington Post BTFO, how will they ever recover? Ironically none of these unemployable hacks can code, which is what they condescendingly tell people getting laid off in poorly-performing industries (talk about people throwing rocks in glass houses) to learn to get a job

 

[cube]

I'd rather my nuclear station operators and coders and radiation operators and coders have spent 4 years studying every facet of nuclear and radiation therapy rather than being distracted with nonsense that is of little to no value to them.

The people that program those systems don't need to be nuclear engineers or doctors. Better that they know a bit more about software than hacking code.

People have been overirradiated by a GUI bug.