[jandrewrogers]

In many parts of the US, including Silicon Valley, experience and demonstration of competency is valued much more than education when it comes to software. Consequently, everything is about getting that initial experience, education just makes that first step easier. From there you can bootstrap yourself into almost any position in the software world through demonstration of capability and most employers will take you seriously.

What makes this more difficult in Europe is that they often discount any amount of experience without what they view as the appropriate education.

There is a simple formula in the US that countless developers have used for bootstrapping a career without education or experience: work for a bottom-feeder consulting shop. The job will generally be awful and have terrible pay, but because of that it makes it easy for someone with talent and work ethic to really stand out. In a year or two, plenty of much better companies will hire you on the basis of your experience. Wash, rinse, repeat. As far as I can tell, this doesn't work in Europe.

[neverminder]

It does work in UK. I've applied to many positions in the last 5 years or so and not even once the education was brought up in any significant way. Skills/experience is what counts and smart employers know that.

[jokoon]

UK is not really europe, it's also pretty liberal compared to the rest of europe, especially compared to france.

[kuschku]

In Germany it does, too, though. I know many people in Germany and Austria in IT who have no formal education.