This is just a general curiosity, masked by a seemingly-stupid question. For reference, I'm a 2x college dropout (once because i was NOT ready, the second because i was BROKE) looking to re-enter to re-take two courses in the fall. I currently have a okay-ish paying (read: above minimum wage) brand new job, but I'm still looking for any and all else I could do that doesn't involve customer service calls in my bedroom. Most decent jobs have requirements of higher education. Even jobs that I would otherwise be qualified for in terms of experience. I understand they want people with Knowledge to do their job effectively, but what confuses me is that what you learn in school isn't all applicable to the career field, or is composed of things you might not remember when you enter the field. Like people who earned their degrees years ago, or got their degree by the skin of their teeth. What do employers expect out of an degree? What does that mean to an employer? I've seen things like "its a guarantee you can stick with something for long enough to see it through", and while that makes sense, I still am a little skeptical / would like more input. There has to be something deeper than that, it seems.
i think it varies by field. i can only speak to what i've learned about mine (computer engineering), and that only from the perspective of someone who's about to graduate and has been hearing a bunch about what employers are looking for as i've been applying to stuff. for cs/ce, it seems to be about learning a good foundation in the field, and learning how to learn stuff in the field. like, potential employers will know from my degree that they can expect i understand the basic principles of software design/algorithms/etc bc i've had classes in that stuff. even if i don't remember specifics too well, because of that background, it wouldn't take me long to refresh myself since i've seen it already. plus i've learned enough about how to figure out computer things that if i need to pick up say a different programming language, or figure out a code library, or whatever, or if i need to use something i saw in classes three year ago and don't remember too well, i've had enough experience from getting my degree that i can pick up the new stuff/refresh on the older stuff pretty quickly. and like, people can pick up these skills without formal classwork! but, as i understand it, from the employer's perspective the degree is a guarantee of a level of knowledge/competence that a person would have (or at least theoretically should have by the end of their degree) coming in to the job which they wouldn't need new training for, so they can more or less hit the ground running does that make any sense? i'm dubious about how coherent this came out. :P
I suspect at least part of it is just a way to narrow down the applicant field to a size the people doing the hiring process can actually deal with, because otherwise you risk a pool of applicants that's so big you just don't have the time to read through all those resumes to decide who you want to take to the next level of the process. And it's a "fair" way to do that winnowing because it is (at least supposedly) merit-based. I think this and @Astrodynamicist's point are also what provides the justification for letting connections substitute for a degree - some vouching for competency, and also there just aren't gonna be all that many people who have relevant connections, so you don't have to worry about suddenly huge applicant pools. Which isn't a bad thing in theory, but tends to wind up pretty fucking unjust in practice. (nb. this is all speculation, I don't have any sort of hiring experience that would give me any actual first-hand insight here.)
The 'idea' here also is often expressed like, a degree gives you transferable skills like being able to communicate with people, being able to juggle deadlines and prioritise work, etc etc. This is understandably bullshit because other things can give you that experience too, but hey. :V (This is for when requirements are just like 'you have a degree of any kind'.)
Seconding that it does vary based on field. I know some fields require certs and interships to qualify too, and the degree is more about making the connections than anything. Also the level of the degree changes a lot; a gen ed Associates is going to have a hell of a lot less weight than a Bachelors or Masters in a specific field. It's also a status symbol, and I think that has a lot to do with it. Much like showing up in business ready clothes, it's a shorthand for an employer to use to put you in the in-group. Fwiw, I've always thought that the fact that my AA qualifies me for shit that two years in work never did is fucking ridiculous, so.
So essentially, what we've got here is the employer wants "proof" that we have basic enough function to get through the foundation knowledge of the field the employer wants "proof" that we can commit to something / are responsible / arent a schlub from an hr standpoint, it's easier to manage the slush Spoiler: digression / whine (Jesus, going back to college at 21 sucks ass OTL I should've already gotten close to my AA now)
Hey man, don't feel bad. My sis just got her first AA at 24, and my dad didn't get his until 40. College is rough, and the fact that you're going back at all is a testament to your resilience.
It's just the first time I dropped out I ended up losing my Financial Aid status, so I have to pay out of pocket until I get A's in the classes I failed, which is shameful and a burden on the wallet. And my younger cousins both got into universities and have stuck with it, etc etc. Ugh. But it's interesting to know the peculiarities of requiring formal education for employment. For reference, I'm going into social work. Which absolutely requires a boatload of knowledge. But requiring a four year degree to be a secretary throws me.
I didn't get my AA until I was 24 too, currently working on my bachelors but given I am in a university now and the classes are kicking my ass, it might take me longer than usual for that too. I stress about it a lot since one of my friends in the same graduating class is working on her masters, but then I remember I have other friends who are older than me that dropped out, didn't go for more than their AA, or want to go to college but havn't yet. It's not a race. Edited to add that I'm actually glad I started college late, it gave me time to mature.
