An individual's future from Online training & tutorials

So this question is for Wendell, Logan and Qain.

So what do you guys think of the online tutorials & training websites such as Lynda, edX, Udacitiy, Udemy, Coursera, Khan Academy, and so on. Is it a viable alternative for college or University? Would you guys employ someone who studied under these courses? Do these people have future in any particular field?

Also these online tutorials and training website have free and paid services. Lynda.com's service is rather compelling. But the Coursera and Udacity course also offer some kind of a completion certificate for a certain price.

So i'm really interested on hearing your opinions on these matter.

 

Old Snake

TL;DR Do you need an actual university degree to work? Are online courses enough for employment?

If you can quote fact s instead of just all the latest "buzz" words and came across as sincere and willing to keep learning and dong your best ... I'd hire you if I were in a position to do so.

Far too many people can put on a suit and walk in and say the right words... get the high pay work .... but it is all a phony act .... the only thing they are really good at it turns out. 

Even if you it does not lead to employment ... you are not wasting your mind at least

Do you need an actual university degree to work? Are online courses enough for employment?

All of this depends on the employer. Some jobs require that you have a degree; others merely suggest it. Still other employers (the majority) want someone who has years of experience in the field.

Yea I was thinking as long as you have the proper knowledge and experience, a piece of paper won't mean shit. You do have a point about not wasting my mind.

Yeap thought so, but I think that the people in this field will probably choose people with actual experience over a piece of paper saying that this person studied this. What do you think?

Totally agree with you! I'm reading the 7 habits of highly effective people and one of the points the Stephen Covey makes is that people often focus on personality rather than character. While someone can fake the skills on a job interview, it will eventually come out that they do not possess what it takes to be a leader.

I agree. Start building your résumé early, and in many cases, it can be more useful than a college degree. So long as the information you have studied is true and relevant to the job you are applying for, these online courses can oftentimes serve as a viable alternative to college, especially in the field of technology.

However, this obviously isn't always true for all jobs. With some jobs, it is absolutely mandatory that you have a college degree. Like I said before, it all depends on the particular employer you're seeking employment with.

I will answer your question as it pertains to engineering (because that is my profession and it is what I'm familiar with). If your curriculum isn't ABET accredited, it's worthless on its own.

Before perusing any degree, verify what accreditations are needed in your chosen field of study. If the curriculum you are looking for does not have those accreditation, it won't do you much good. They can, however, provide good supplemental information. For example, Khan Academy really helped me understand aspects of ordinary differential equations when I was a student.

Yea totally agrees with you but my agreeing with you is a little bit self serving but still gives me hope. 

True, this is not the same as other jobs, reading something online does not make you a nurse, lawyer and etc.  But I think in the field of technology everything is possible as long as you give your everything.

I see, I do understand that my question does not apply for every field. Reading something online does not automatically makes you an engineer but i think in the field of technology it can be possible.

What do you guys feel about the paid online tutorials? I was considering of Lynda.com, But Coursera and Udacity gives out cert if you finish the course.