atregir

Assuming you don't necessarily need it, you have no commute and you only use it to support your hobbies?

I would like to know what your arguments are to obtaining a degree vs learning by doing in an IT related field, esp. in 2020?

I am a relatively experienced developer, have finished my bachelors and masters in Computer Sciences and have 5+ years of experience in the field and I am trying to make a decision whether I should go for another MSc. (in AI) or simply keep learning by doing.

I tend to lean towards earning a degree and I do find it useful (in terms of getting structured knowledge that you do not need to put together yourself, making connections, finding a group of people interested in the same thing as you are, having the official "paper" to be able to officially prove your skill and so on).

I realize some of these arguments stem from my own background, since I have always had to legally be able to prove I am qualified for each skill I have (language skills, technical skills etc) - not in obtaining a job offer itself, but in applying for the visas and such.

However, there are plenty of arguments against it and I can see some of them as well: curricula is indeed "prepared" for you, but it might be relatively "old" or rigid, time might be wasted - I could spend those hours working and getting paid for it, same skills might be learned easily online and then getting a job in the field and so on.

Help me, HN! What is your stance on the subject and why?