A few hours before I started writing this, I found myself stationed behind a keyboard, traversing the labyrinthine world of code and algorithm, working on piecing together a solution to a problem, one line of code at a time. Software development is an occupation that can be as thrilling as it is daunting and as rewarding as it is challenging. As someone who does not have a college degree, I have come to find that my success in this profession relies upon an oft-undervalued yet profoundly critical trait: lifelong learning.

In its ceaseless pursuit of learning, my mind routinely embodies the ideal of what it means to be a software developer. Yet, a gnawing sense of despair follows, an observation that lifelong learning is dwindling in significance in our fast-paced world and left low on the priority list for many, especially after formal education has ended.

I would risk diminishing to a mere “code monkey”, entrapped in the specifics of the now, oblivious to the broader panorama of learning if I were to sidestep the path of continual education.

Learning: The Lifeline of Software Development⌗

Software development is a peculiar and complex creature, a fluid and evolving entity. It grows, it shrinks, it adapts, and it transforms. The tools we hold in high regard today may dissipate into obsolescence tomorrow. The frameworks we champion now could crumble under the weight of an upstart alternative, and the languages we fluently speak may fade into the annals of legacy systems. If there is one, the constant is the absolute uncertainty and the ceaseless, unending change. This applies equally to software development as it does to life itself.

Thus, to be an accomplished person - software developer or not - necessitates being an ardent lifelong learner. It isn’t sufficient to cling to the laurels of past academic degrees or the relics of a bygone era’s knowledge. Each dawn brings forth new concepts (for everyone in general, this would be new understandings of the world around us, new ideas on how to think, etc.; for software developers, this would be tools, languages, and frameworks), beckoning the vigilant and the keen. The proverbial “tools of the trade” are both technical and cognitive. The primary tool isn’t the keyboard beneath our fingers but the curiosity of our minds.

The Tragedy of the Declining Pursuit⌗

Despite the evident necessity for ongoing learning, the culture of continuous education seems to be a receding tide. We’re witnessing a peculiar and potentially alarming trend where the pursuit of knowledge is deemed completed upon receiving a diploma or completing a boot camp.

Is it the hubris of believing that a few years of education have furnished us with an impenetrable armor against the relentless march of the world and of technology? Or is it an unfortunate consequence of the pressure to churn out immediate results, leaving no space for the contemplative and long-term endeavor that is learning?

Whatever the reasons, the outcome remains unchanged: a trend toward declining lifelong learning that does not bode well for humanity. Consequently, we find ourselves ill-equipped to tackle unforeseen problems, tethered to the stagnant waters of yesterday’s wisdom.

credentialism (noun)

  1. Overemphasis on diplomas or degrees in giving jobs or conferring social status.
  2. an overemphasis on the importance of academic, legal, or regulatory qualifications

The Credentialism Quandry⌗

In examining the factors contributing to the decline of lifelong learning, one must recognize the growing phenomenon of credentialism. This is the overemphasis on certificates, degrees, and other formal validations of education as a measure of a person’s skills or value. It’s a societal syndrome that, without evidence, equates the possession of credentials to the confirmation of knowledge.

In a world plagued by credentialism, the impetus for learning has shifted away from intellectual curiosity and the inherent desire to understand. Instead, it becomes a race to accumulate as many accolades as possible and to decorate our resumes with an impressive-sounding array of acronyms. This creates an illusion of competence, where having these things is mistaken for having knowledge.

In software development, the terrain is forever changing, and the ability to learn and adapt is more important than the facts learned in a classroom. Here credentialism can lead to a stagnation of skills, a reluctance to venture beyond the well-trodden path of established wisdom, and a lack of adaptability.

In a world where it’s possible to learn a new programming language through online platforms or collaborate with other developers halfway across the globe, where the open-source community is vibrant and welcoming, the rigidity of credentialism feels archaic. It overlooks the varied and non-traditional paths through which people can acquire knowledge, undervaluing the importance of practical, hands-on experience and self-guided learning.

The antidote to credentialism is not to disregard formal education but to cultivate a culture that values learning in all its forms, understands that knowledge and skills can be gained outside of a classroom, and sees lifelong learning as more than a lofty ideal. As we learn to move beyond the narrow lens of credentialism, we might find that the path to technological innovation and personal growth is wider and more varied than we had previously thought.

Reviving the Spirit of Lifelong Learning⌗

Specifically for software developers, the endless journey of writing code mirrors the infinite journey of learning.

As developers, we must embrace this voyage and embed learning into the fabric of our professional and personal lives. We need to foster a culture where it’s expected and encouraged to dedicate time to personal growth and knowledge expansion. We need to redefine success not just by the short-term key performance indicators but also by the knowledge we’ve amassed and shared.

By embracing lifelong learning, we can ensure that we’re not just collecting degrees and certifications, but knowledge; not just following a syllabus, but our curiosity. In the face of ever-evolving technology, the most useful skill we can develop is the ability to learn, adapt, and grow, not because a certificate requires it, but because our future in software development depends on it. Education should never be viewed as a static achievement but as a dynamic and lifelong process. We all must resist the encroaching tide of complacency and revive the vital spirit of lifelong learning. This is especially so in software development. Because, at the end of the day, our most outstanding achievement isn’t what we have built but what we have learned. And our most profound legacy isn’t the code we leave behind but the thirst for knowledge we inspire.