Hi.

[Pragya Gupta]

Hi,

I am Software Engineer. And work in mainframe technology. I am working with COBOL, JCL, VSAM and some of the DB2.

I have never been abroad or onsite. I have heard that there in countries like U.S.A. to be in IT you don't need to be a graduate or have a 4 year degreee course. Is it like this there? Can someone please share some thoughts on this?

[Anuj Dhawan]

Hello and welcome to the Forums Pragya,

It's nice to know about your skill set, we look forward to your contribution to the board.


OTOH, I don't agree to this statement:

I have never been abroad or onsite. I have heard that there in countries like U.S.A. to be in IT you don't need to be a graduate or have a 4 year degreee course. Is it like this there? Can someone please share some thoughts on this?

Where do you get this information from?

[Pragya Gupta]

I have heard about it from some seniors who are not from my company though. I was surprised with this fact.

[Anuj Dhawan]

I don't think that there can be a good reason to say so. Forget about it and move on.

PS.: I'll probably edit some of the replies in this topic soon.

[nicc]

Well, despite all the universities that I have been to I do not have a degree - not even in basket weaving. OTOH I started out in 1973 when you didn't need to be a graduate (you still don't) but have an IQ and be able to learn to do the job.

[Robert Sample]

In the course of my career, I've known quite a few people who did not have a university degree (much less one in computer science) but were quite competent at their jobs in the IT field. However, I've seen a degree used as a filter in the recruitment process at times; the degree at least proves the person can learn (for some period of time) and achieve long-term goals. A lot of job descriptions in the US do allow substituting some years of on-the-job experience for a college degree; some job descriptions do require the degree. A UK company I worked for hired people off the street and trained them in COBOL, JCL, VSAM (with ... ah ... "interesting" results at times), so US and UK jobs don't always require the college degree.

[Pragya Gupta]

So it was not wrong as such. But most my friends with H1B don't get hired even with degree and knwoledge.

[enrico-sorichetti]

But most my friends with H1B don't get hired even with degree and knwoledge.

a degree is just a piece of paper ( like a certification )
the knowledge is ... at least relative

one is bad luck/(interviewer fault), two might be the same, more is something different , just meditate about it

[Robert Sample]

You have complicated things by throwing in the H1-B. The JOB must qualify as specialized work before the employer can attempt to use an H1-B visa for a foreign employee. And the employee must also be qualified for the job. From one of the web sites on H1-B:

Eligibility

The US H1-B visa is designed to be used for staff in specialty occupations. The job must meet one of the following criteria to qualify as a specialty occupation:
• Have a minimum entry requirement of a Bachelor's or higher degree or its equivalent.
• The degree requirement for the job is common to the industry or the job is so complex or unique that it can be performed only by an individual with a degree.
• The employer normally requires a degree or its equivalent for the position.
• The nature of the specific duties is so specialized and complex that the knowledge required to perform the duties is usually associated with the attainment of a bachelor's or higher degree.
For you to qualify to accept a job offer in a specialty occupation you must meet one of the following criteria:
• Have completed a US bachelor's or higher degree required by the specific specialty occupation from an accredited college or university.
• Hold a foreign degree that is the equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's or higher degree in the specialty occupation.
• Hold an unrestricted state license, registration, or certification which authorizes you to fully practice the specialty occupation and be engaged in that specialty in the state of intended employment.
• Have education, training, or experience in the specialty that is equivalent to the completion of such a degree, and have recognition of expertise in the specialty through progressively responsible positions directly related to the specialty.

In other words, for an H1-B job, the college degree is pretty much a prerequisite (although equivalent experience can count).

Furthermore, H1-B visas are very political -- Congress sets the limit each year on the number allowed, and employers (particularly ones with unionized workers) are very sensitive to the accusation that they are giving jobs to foreigners in preference to US citizens. Getting an H1-B job cannot, in any way, shape, style, or form, be considered anywhere near equivalent to a "normal" IT job (for whatever definition of "normal" you want to use).