Degree or Certification: How to Choose Your Path in IT

One of the most common questions for anyone entering IT is simple but difficult to answer. Should you follow a traditional university degree, or focus on professional certifications?

Both paths exist for valid reasons, but they do not lead to the same outcomes, nor do they suit the same profiles.

The university degree path

A degree provides a broad academic foundation. It exposes students to theory, mathematics, computer science concepts, and long-term reasoning skills.

This path is often well suited for research-oriented roles, software engineering at scale, or careers where formal credentials are required by institutions.

However, degrees are long, expensive, and sometimes disconnected from day-to-day operational IT work.

The certification path

Certifications focus on specific skills and real-world technologies. They are designed to validate practical knowledge that can be applied directly in production environments.

This approach is often faster, more targeted, and better aligned with infrastructure, networking, and operations roles.

Well-known certification ecosystems exist across networking, cloud, security, and systems administration.

Where many people make a mistake

A frequent error is starting too high in the stack. Cloud platforms, DevOps tools, or security concepts are often learned without understanding how underlying systems actually communicate.

This creates fragile knowledge that works only as long as nothing breaks.

Why networking is a strong starting point

Networking sits at the foundation of IT. Every application, service, and platform ultimately depends on how data moves between systems.

Learning networking first builds a mental model that makes everything else easier to understand later, including cloud and distributed systems.

This is why many experienced professionals recommend starting with networking before specializing further.

Learning environments matter

Some platforms focus on academic theory, others on certification preparation, and others on hands-on labs.

Structured learning platforms that emphasize progression and fundamentals can help avoid random, fragmented learning.

One example of a networking-focused learning platform is PingMyNetwork.

Other ecosystems also exist, including academic programs and vendor-backed training initiatives, each serving different goals.

Final perspective

There is no single correct path in IT. Degrees and certifications are tools, not guarantees.

What matters most is building strong fundamentals first, then choosing a direction that matches your long-term objectives.

Starting with networking often provides clarity that saves years later.