Is an online Degree a good route into an IT career?

By Steve Conway, content marketing professional, and inbound marketing expert.

There are lots of reasons to want to work in technology – it is fast paced, can be well paid, and if you have a passion for innovation it can also be really rewarding. You can choose a lot of different paths in tech, too, from learning sales or project management to getting an online masters in engineering and working on the more physical side of technology. 

Getting qualifications that can open up the door to an IT career

With so many career paths available in the IT world, it is no surprise that there are also lots of study paths that can get you a career in technology, and these days, one of these options is doing a degree or masters online rather than going to a college and doing your degree the traditional way. You can do all kinds of qualifications that will relate to IT work online, from an online master of engineering to a computer science or math degree. But is this a good path to choose?

Are online Degrees seen as credible by employers?

The main concern that people have about whether an online degree is a good choice is whether employers will respect their qualifications as much as those gained in a conventional way. After all, online degrees are cheaper, can be done with more flexibility, and they allow people to study in the way that suits them best – it can feel like there should be some catch to it.

Online degrees are also reasonably new in the current format. Students are able to watch lectures online, interact with tutors and essentially get the whole student experience they could on campus, but the technology to do that hasn't been around for that many years. We have had smartphones for a decade now, but that's just two or three rounds of degree students. 

However, the IT industry is the most-fast paced industry there is. It has definitely moved with the times and we have begun to see online degrees as just as credible as their equivalents from 'classic' university. Across the board, employers have been shown in surveys to regard online degrees as credible 85% of the time, and this is likely to be higher in the tech industry where the very innovations that make online degrees a possibility first originated.

Should you study online?

Some people do want the college lifestyle and experience. However, there is no denying online degrees are cheaper and allow you more flexibility. If you are aiming to go into IT, whether it's as a developer, an engineer, or a business person, you can certainly fare just as well with an online degree if you decide it is the right choice for you.

From an employment perspective, online degrees are very much seen as an asset, especially in IT, so if you'd rather study online there is no reason to be put off of making that the way you get your qualifications.

About the author

Steve Conway is a content marketing professional and inbound marketing expert. Previously, Steve worked as a marketing manager for a tech software start-up. He is passionate about discovering new software that will that will advance his already well-honed digital marketing techniques.