ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Regionals IT grads find their degree highly valued during job search, despite some claims that college is not necessary
Two recent graduates say they got better jobs and pay due to education
ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Regionals IT grads find their degree highly valued during job search, despite some claims that college is not necessary
The value of a college degree has been debated recently. And some high-profile industry leaders, such as those in the technology field, have even encouraged talented job seekers to apply with only a high school diploma, citing on-the-job training as the best path forward.
But graduates from ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Regionals say this advice doesn’t ring true. They found their degree was well worth the investment, and a fast track to higher pay and better promotion opportunities from the start.
Maverick Peck ’23, a system engineer with Forward Edge, a technology support business in Sharonville, found his experience in the computer industry to be typical for what young job seekers might find. As a new college graduate, he was competing for tech jobs with many applicants, a few of whom did not have a college degree. He noted that his first job was much different than theirs.
“The degree gave me an edge,” Peck said. “Someone with a high school diploma would start at a lower-level position and lower pay. It takes them longer to catch up to the worker with a degree. I started as a system engineer immediately. It would take them several years of working to get to that level.”
He added that his experiences at Miami also led to improved “soft” skills, such as communication and leadership, that can lead to more opportunities for advancement.
“In class, we often worked in groups of three or more for projects,” Peck said. “This required us to learn time management skills, interpersonal communication skills, and problem-solving for working through technical issues. I use these skills every day on the job.”
This all adds up to a feeling of confidence at work that would be hard to fake for someone without the same level of education, he noted.
“My Miami degree makes me feel more qualified,” he said. “Whenever I run into a problem, I can remember what I learned in class and it gives me more confidence. There’s so much you cover in school that you just can’t learn on your own.”
Peck’s experience reflects what is often left out of headlines that question the value of a degree — that popular advice doesn’t always match real-world scenarios.
Many working IT professionals agree that while a high school graduate can find a technology job, businesses value applicants with college degrees, and it is revealed in their hiring practices.
Multiple job boards, such as Glassdoor, Indeed, and Dice, show lower starting salaries for positions that require only a high school diploma, often up to $40,000 per year less than for those with a bachelor’s degree. And advice from hiring managers is that they often place a premium on college graduates, putting applicants with less education at the bottom of the resume pile.
Anthony Rose, Miami Regionals program director for Cybersecurity, Networking and Platform Engineering, said the high demand for workers in the information technology industry has driven businesses to pursue talent without waiting for the time it takes to earn a college degree.
“There is a significant need for skilled workers in IT right now,” he said. “And some high school IT programs are very good at giving ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs the skills they need for an entry-level job. Often, those ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs do end up coming back to college to pursue a degree to help them get promoted beyond that initial position though.”
“Or, if you have the hundreds of hours to spend honing your hacking skills on your own, you could even get to a level where you’re an elite hacker without any coursework,” he said. “But that’s rare, and it’s also highly inefficient. Coursework focuses ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs on the high-value skills that are really needed, so they’re job-ready from day one.”
Rose added, “At some point, time is money” and you get the reputation of the university behind the degree.
“Miami’s reputation as a high-quality university gives graduates an advantage. A lot of that is about the liberal arts background a ºÚÁÏÉçÇø gets along with their IT education,” Rose said.” A Miami CIT Degree requires a high degree of interpersonal communication, a significant amount of teamwork, a focus on ethics, knowledge of agile work processes, and an introduction to the importance of organizational culture. These are essential skills employers want to see in their workers.”
Experiences with internships or on-campus jobs also offer valuable skill-building opportunities that pay off later. Steve Whayne, assistant director of Employer Relations at Miami, said these experiences are highly valued by working professionals.
“Students who work during their college years or acquire internships gain valuable knowledge on the job and learn vital skills, such as customer service, and conflict resolution. They also gain meaningful interactions with people from a variety of backgrounds and different ages, which are all very valuable to employers.”
Sudip Dahal ’24, an IT support specialist at Medpace in Cincinnati, said internships he landed while still a ºÚÁÏÉçÇø helped lead to his full-time job. He also said the courses he took at Miami helped him narrow down more precisely where he wanted to put his focus in his career. This introduction to so many specialties within the computer field would have been difficult to find without his experience at Miami.
“There’s so many directions you could go in IT,” Dahal said. “After my classes at Miami, I knew I wanted to specialize in software. But that’s because I had the chance to be exposed to so many aspects of IT in school. I don’t think I would have figured that out on my own.”
Dahal also cited soft skills improvement and professional connections as a vital part of the campus experience and a key to success once he launched his career.
“You need to think about your long-term goals. In my experience, a degree not only opened doors but also gave me the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed for success in my career. Additionally, it provides networking opportunities and can lead to more job security and career growth,” Dahal said.
“Trying to get all that on your own would be almost impossible, and your foundation would be weak compared to your co-workers,” he said. “Miami (Regionals) is also very affordable, so it is not out-of-reach. I would not be where I am today without my Miami degree.”
